CAMDEN — Joys of Being A Grandparent
By Richard Merritt
I didn’t do too well as a young father. My wife, Marvanna, kept the kids, changed the diapers and got them ready for church. I always had something else to do. Sunday mornings were particularly hectic. I went to the church early for a last run through the sermon and prayer for the service.
While I was serenely completing my preparation for Sunday school and morning worship, Marvanna and the three kids were racing against the clock to get ready and get to church on time (just a few steps away from the parsonage). Most Sundays, she hunted for shoes for the kids, but one Sunday she couldn’t find hers. When the kids grew up and the grandchildren started coming, I discovered the joys I had been missing. I found it so much fun to change a diaper, keep the grand-kids, teach them to do things and rejoice when they learned something new. All five are precious. They call me "Pop" and Marvanna is "Meme." It is such a delight to hear them say “Pop.” Now I make time to do all the things I missed as a young father.
God’s Word declares, “Children are a heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” (Ps. 127:3) Children are one of God’s rewards and grandchildren are wonderful. Eight years of experience teaches me I never tire of hearing “Pop.” Children are a reward and not a punishment or an inconvenience. I love to tell stories, play with them, see them, hold them close and put my arms around them. I know a little more about the goodness of God through the interaction I have with my grandchildren.
One of the things that must break God’s heart is when His children fail to speak to Him. God reminds me “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” (KJV Jer. 33:3) God has no grandchildren. He delights in every prayerful communication He receives. Since His love for His children is much greater, He must truly rejoice when we call Him our Heavenly Father.
I have a special place in his heart just the same way my children and grandchildren have in mine. When I pray to my Father in Heaven, I know He hears me. I love the images of God given in the Bible that make it clear that my voice is heard in His ear in Heaven. As many times as I bend down to hear the quiet little voices of my grandchildren, I love to think of Him leaning a little closer when I pray. He doesn’t have trouble hearing my prayers, He just loves me that much. My favorite verse in the Bible is “Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you.” (KJV 1 Peter 5:7)
I try to tell my grandchildren often that God loves them. Every child should hear the same truth from parents and grandparents that know Jesus as their personal Savior. The simple, childlike faith of a sinner expressing sorrow over his or her sinful condition and asking for God’s salvation still results in people being born again. Jesus said, “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” (John 3:7) When any person answers God’s call to salvation, they are born into the family of God. At salvation, the child of God may rightfully refer to God as their Heavenly Father. As a child of God, I have the privilege of talking to the Father anytime.
We have lots of grandparents and grandchildren at Trinity Missionary Baptist Church where I serve as pastor. Since our church is a loving church family, we share a grandparent’s love with all the young people. They need to trust us, to believe the gospel they hear from us, to see Christ in us and to hear us talk about Jesus. There are enough uncles, aunts and grandparents in our church family for every child to feel loved. Even when there is no biological relationship, there is a sweet relationship of being a part of the same church family. As the pastor of Trinity for 24 years on March 1, 2015, many of the younger ones in our church can remember no other pastor. We share joys and sorrows with a great confidence in God’s ability to hear and His power to answer. “The same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.” (KJV Rom. 10:12) Trinity Missionary Baptist Church is a praying church. When we come to worship, we have a great sense of God’s presence being with us. God loves to hear our prayers much more than I love to hear my grandchildren say “Pop.” And that’s a lot!
(Merritt is the pastor at Trinity MBC.)