Torch, Fall 1986

'1 A Word to Grandparents by Martha Baldwin l sn 't it just great to be grandparents' We get to love those little ones, and when it' s time for a diaper change we hand them back to their mothers. We invite the grandchildren for visits , play with them , show them (and ourselves) what good grandparents we are , and then send them back to their parents to rear . We lavish gifts on them as we are able and pray for them, but have no major responsibilities, right? WRONG! Actually, God has some interesting things to say about the responsibilities we have not only to our children but to their children and their children as well. Obedience to God brings benefits , and we all like benefits. As we carry out our spiritual responsibilities to our offspring and their offspring , God promises that our days will be prolonged and it will be well with us forever (Deut. 5:29, Deut. 6:2). Those are certainly benefits to us. So what are these responsibilities? On the basis of Deut. 5:29 and Ps. 103:17 .18 . I believe that the greatest thing we can do for our children's children is to fear God , keep His covenant , and do His commandments. The order is important: 1. Fear God (realize the holiness of God and our sinfulness); 2. Keep His covenant (for us , the New Covenant – the blood of Jesus Christ. We are to trust in Him as our only hope of salvation); 3. Do His commandments (obey His Word) . God promises that as we trust Christ as our Savior and live a godly life, not only does He give His mercy to us , but He also extends His righteousness unto our grandchildren. Although I don "t understand it. I th ink this extension of His righteousness is a gracious , supernatural act of God; He will do it even if our grandchildren never know us. So then , to benefit our grandchildren , we are to fear God and keep His commandments. But we are also to TELL' Ps. 78:4-7 , Deut. 4:9.10 , Deut. 6 :7 give us the who. what, when, why of the telling. Whom are we to tell? Our children and our grandchildren. "That they might set their hope m God, and not forget the works of God . .. ." Psalm 78:7 What are we to tell? " . .. the praises of the Lord, and His strength , and His wonderful works that He hath clone .. ." When ? At any opportune moment. Why? That they may learn to fear God; that they might set their hope in God and not forget the works of · Goel; that they might keep His commandments; that they might teach their children and their children and so on . God actually commands that we tell them. And in the te 11 ing , we won ' t forget the wonderful things that God has done . The Bible states that the sins of the fathers are passed down to the third and fourth generations. In contrast, through the obedience of fathers God's righteousness passes to the third and fourth generations. A "crowning" verse is Proverbs 17 :6. Our grandchildren are our crowns, and we are the glory of our children - these are the greatest benefits of all. As grandparents we do have responsibilities to those third and fourth generations, and how wonderfully God blesses us as we live in obedience to His Word! Martha Baldwin is writer/typesetter for the Publi c Relations Office at Cedarvi ll e Co llege . 13