My Prayer For the Generations to Come
Last night’s class was simply amazing. Obviously, it had nothing to do with me, but EVERYTHING to do with my faithful, omniscient, loving, merciful and amazing Father!
We studied Paul’s prayer to the Colossae church in 1:9-14 — and the specific way he prayed for a group of people he had never personally met.
The fact that Paul never knew this group he prayed so fervently for fascinated me several weeks back (and still does!) while preparing for this lesson. Knowing that we wanted to implement a “Go & Grow” challenge at the end of each session, I asked the Lord to show me a group of people our Tuesday night group could pray for… “a group of people we would never know.” Well, the Lord didn’t give me an immediate answer… so I went to Starbucks!
Pulling out of the parking lot, I turned on my radio (106.9), and this is what I immediately heard one of the morning pastors (I believe Chip Ingram) say: “Do you know that there is a group of people that you will never know who could be eternally impacted from your prayers for them today? They would be your great, great, great grandchildren and the generations to come.”
The tears began flowing so quickly that I almost had to pull over. Who says God is not in the details?
As I continued to drive home, a song from a few years back by Sara Groves, “Generations” immediately came to mind. There was no doubt whatsoever that our group of women needed to pray for the generations to follow — and to leave something behind for them to know they were covered in prayer long before they came into existence.
I couldn’t help but wonder, as I glanced around the room last night at some of the most faithful women of God I know, if they could be in the faith today because of the prayers from a great, great, great-grandmother or father. Only God knows.
After last night’s Go & Grow challenge I asked the group to write their prayer for the generations to follow, using Colossian 1:9-14 as a partial guideline. Following the challenge, we played Sara Groves’ song, Generations. Due to copyright guidelines, I can’t write out the lyrics but I encourage you to read them here.
Or even better, take a listen.
Everyone then received a packet, which included stationery and a personalized envelope (thanks to my sweet hubster).
Tammy Slice and I were delighted last night when we realized we would be praying for the same great grandchildren! I have no doubt that Megan’s sweet mom, Desi, is already praying for the generations to come on that side as well. The thought of having all our great, great-grandchildren encircled by prayer pretty much leaves me speechless and in complete and total awe of my faithful Pappa God.
“My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure. I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign LORD; I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone… Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come.”
Psalm 71: 15-16, 18
