Tire Swing Has Become A Focal Point To Remember To Pray

With anticipation, I keep looking out our kitchen window to our backyard where there are two maple trees, waiting for their leaves to turn.
Now be assured I am not excited about the aftermath when those leaves fall and we have to get them to the curb! One tree has a tire swing that has been there many years and used by our grandchildren. We are now down to one 7-year-old as the rest have graduated and are adults. So far we haven’t been blessed with a great-grandchild but I keep telling myself that I’m too young anyway!
The tire swing has become a focal point when I see it to remind me to pray for the younger generation that they would trust God and His leading in this crazy world. In my mind’s eye I see them on that swing, laughing and playing and also climbing! But they face a world different than the one many of us did, especially if you are 60 or older. I would challenge each of us to pray for our youth who very likely will be the generation who sees an outpouring of the Holy Spirit mentioned in Joel 2:28. I found this at praywithconfidence.com: Father God. I pray for the next generation to follow Jesus and learn from Him how to handle the issues of life. Help them to obey our Word and walk in your ways. Develop holiness, humility, honesty and helpfulness in them. Conform them to the image of Christ and break them out of the mold of this world. Help these young people to make decisions based on truth and guidance from the spirit and not be driven by their emotions. Give them a desire to have integrity and live for your glory alone. In the mighty and matchless name of Christ my King I pray. Amen.
Ken Locke is the retired corps administrator of The Salvation Army in Warsaw and director of the Greater Warsaw Ministerial Association. Have ideas for this column? Go to www.gwma.info.