The Bottom Line, Ministries Christian News, Articles, & Poetry 
The family is a blessing from God and we are dismantling it step by step. Like the results of removing of pieces in a game of Jenga, the family will collapse with lack of support. There are many types of families. So many types, in fact, that our ‘true’ family – our blood relatives is gradually becoming nothing more than co-habitants in a household.
Marriages dissolve daily leaving children as wandering nomads between two clans. They have just a bit of an advantage over the increasing number of children whose parents had no desire to commit to marriage at all… or those who do not even know who their father’s name. Then there are parents with addiction problems who routinely put their habit before their children… then lose them.
Are the children still expected to honor these parents? …Yes.
Rebellious grown children sometimes use their children as pawns to manipulate their own aging parents. They can refuse to allow a relationship in retaliation, for no other reason than to be spiteful. Grandparents, too, can manipulate their grandchildren in an effort to undermine parental authority.
Does God expect the young children to honor and respect their parents and their grandparents? …Yes.
Does God expect children to honor and respect their mothers and fathers when they are adults living on their own, independently of their parents? …Yes.
Leviticus 19:3 “Each of you must show great respect for your mother and father, and you must always observe my Sabbath days of rest. I am the Lord your God.” NLT
There are countless numbers of grandparents today living with broken hearts because they are restricted from seeing the grandchildren that they so looked forward to having one day .
Each state has its own version of ‘Grandparent Rights.’ Most states do have a provision for grandparent custody or court ordered visitation. Some states have given the court the authority to rule in favor of a grandparent. They could also have the power to restrict all contact. Such decisions can be made based on nothing more than a stranger’s (social services agent) testimony on whether or not it would be in ‘the best interest of the child.’
Due to our rebellious, self-serving nature, we can take them for granted and refuse to obey the command God has given us. Our rebellious nature causes us to seek out the state’s assistance in order to resolve family conflict. How naive and foolish we are to relinquish such personal issues to the government.
Deuteronomy 10:12-13 12) “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you except to fear the Lord your God by walking in all His ways, to love Him, and to worship the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul? 13) Keep the Lord’s commands and statutes I am giving you today, for your own good.” NLT
- Adult children separate, divorce, live destructive lifestyles, and die… daily. Must grandparents lose all contact with their descendants because of the choices of their children?
- Does a parent not have authority over his or her own children?
- Should children be permitted to have contact with a parent or grandparent if desired, and should they be forced to if they don’t?
- Should the government be involved in the issue of grandparent rights?
- Are we giving too much authority over our family to the state?
- Should the state be able to force a parent to allow grandparent visitation – or uphold a parent’s right to refuse it?
My prayer is that God will call hearts to obedience so that broken family relationships may be restored.
Thanks for sharing this. I didn’t know that there was control over grandparents. What a shame!
Thank you so much for Shareing this. We are awesome grandparents. I think back to when I knew more than anything else I wanted to be a grandmother just like the two I grew up with. My grandmothers gave me so much of themselves,them and my eight aunts that was one grandmothers sisters. I wanted to be just like them. Back then,keeping a child away from such love was totally unheard of,unthought of! I am both a grandmother and a great grandmother. I am now just an old woman exhausted and broken hearted fighting to stay in the life of now my great granddaughter. I had to fight years ago to love my granddaughter also and be apart of her life. We raised one grandson. All of them, my daughter,to he grandson we raised curse us and deny us the priveledge of being grandparents. This curse has become a forever nightmare in our lives. There is no rational for this or reason except to know they are ill mentally with bi-polar disease. We are Christians who believe in GOD’s will and understanding in all of this but we also thank those who listen and help us fight for the babies who suffer never knowing the love and care they have lost not knowing us. And here we are again begging for answers and help and hope not only for us but for our soon to be 5year old great grand daughter. The last time we attempted to see her on Easter Sunday we went to the house.where she lives with her daddy and step mother. They threatened us with the police. We could hear our little grand daughter begging from the window….Please come see me grandma! I need you grandma. They would not let her come out or give her the Easter things we had for her. We have taken care of her most of her life a nd she loves us and is missing us as much as we miss her. We were told by a store clerk that her step mother was abusive toward her and when we talked to our son about this,we once again were not allowed to see her. There have been other times and other reasons