There are so many little tokens of faith at my Granddad’s house: stacks of devotionals and angel figurines and countless Bibles. There are prayers, too, like this framed one in the living room.
I saw the prayer this week as Mom and I helped Granddad recover from surgery. It called to me when I first saw it, because it’s different wording of a prayer I’ve prayed a million times, especially the lines, “Let me greet others with the joy of Your love. Please use me to create a positive impact during these twenty-four hours.” When I was in elementary school, my mom used to pray a similar prayer before my brother and I got out of the car: “Lord, please let Sara and Drew bless those in their paths today, and please let those in their paths bless them.”
One night this week while I was getting ready to read my Bible, Granddad asked if I could get his devotional from the other room. We sat down to do our individual studies, but after we realized Granddad’s post-surgical medications made it difficult to read, I offered to read his devotional to him.
As I read, I just kept thinking how honored I was to get to do this for my Granddad, to be a small part of his walk with Christ that day. Nothing miraculous happened—the passages weren’t especially applicable to this time of life, and our conversation didn’t lead to any divine revelations, but I was still so overwhelmed by how sweet it was to spend time with my grandfather while growing closer to the Lord. It was even more special, because we read from the devotional my Mom bought him for Christmas years ago; three generations of faith came together for that moment.
I kept glancing up as I read, watching Granddad sit back with his eyes closed and hands clasped in his lap, like he always does when he’s concentrating. “I always try to really focus on the devotional,” he told me, “to really get the meaning of it.” I’m a woman who looks for meaning in everything. I think that’s how I’ve gotten through a lot of life, finding the meaning, no matter how small, in the best and worst memories. And even though the moment alone was enough, I see meaning in it, too. I see the Lord saying he hears my prayers, that He sees how in love I am with Him and His word, as imperfect as that love will always be on this earth. I see Him trusting me to share His love with others. That’s what I try to convey with my blog—who Jesus is and why I adore Him, why I wish everyone knew Him. The longer I’ve served the Lord, the more I want to talk with and about Him. He’s so generous, so compassionate, so faithful that it feels like my heart will burst if I don’t share that love with others. I’m honored to share even a snippet of the Lord’s love here.
1 Peter 10-11: Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God. If anyone speaks, let it be as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, let it be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.
Psalm 9:1: I will thank the Lord with all my heart; I will declare all Your wondrous works.