“Lord, please do something to restore in us the joy we had when our kids were small.” Clay and Julie McFarland were in their early fifties now. Their kids were all grown and on their own. The McFarlands loved each other and enjoyed their empty nest, but tonight as Clay led his wife in prayer something came out almost unintentionally; they’d reminisced fondly recently about what cherished times they’d had when the kids were small, but neither of them had really considered that they were unhappy or that anything was missing. “And please bless the kids and their spouses, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Clay and Julie’s prayer, even though it was a request Clay spoke almost without thought, got Heaven’s attention. A horde of angels gathered quickly and crowded around God’s throne, all curious as to how the Provider would respond to the prayer.
“Your curiosity is a bit misguided.” God addressed the host encircling His throne, all kneeling in reverence. “Your question should not be how I will answer, although you will soon see. No, your real question should be why Clay made such a request. And the answer is that I, by my Spirit, incited it, Myself. As you know, I sometimes place in the heart of humans a desire for the very thing I want to give them.
The angels shifted around, adjusting wings and limbs to allow space for one another, as God continued informing them. “Now Clay and Julie know almost nothing about any of this. They are both sensitive to my Spirit, so as I introduced the thought, Clay spoke it in prayer immediately, and Julie agreed with an amen almost before she knew it but never regretting it.”
The Lord’s voice was booming and had been resounding throughout the throne room. However, He lowered it to pique the angels’ interest as He continued offering the privilege of hearing Him speak. “As you know, this is not always the way I work; I often have them process ideas mentally, sometimes so thoroughly that it takes weeks or months of earth-human time. But this time, in My sovereignty, I did it this way.”
The door opened and two majestic angelic beings entered, spread their wings and hovered low as they made their way to the throne. The angel ranks split to form an aisle before the throne and the two great angels, Michael and Gabriel, landed in their approach, kneeling before the Almighty, the Lord of Hosts. “Speaking of earth-human time, from this time until nine of their months have passed, they will receive their answer. They will receive their answer in the flesh, that is.” Then, God reached down and touched the heads of Michael and Gabriel.
“Michael and Gabriel will be dispatched in three earth-human months to support the McFarlands’ receiving the news of their coming grandchild.”
One of the angels, not Michael or Gabriel, asked the Almighty a question all wanted Him to answer. “Lord Most High, is this another of the wonderful traps you have designed for humans?”
“Yes,” the Holy One answered, “Clay and Julie will be trapped by the love one can have only for children. They will be helpless against its manacles. Their joy will skyrocket each time they see the little one, even when the little one has grown into the adult human I plan for them to be.”
The angels erupted in praise, lauding and honoring the Creator with their heavenly voices.
On earth, Clay and Julie were joyful indeed. They were ecstatic at the announcement the child’s parents made, Michael and Gabriel standing guard against any opposition that may come. When the child was born, they were beside themselves, happy for the parents but happier still for themselves; they were grandparents now.
Just according to the Lord’s plan, they never escaped the grandparent trap. They spent their remaining years overjoyed at every phase of the child’s life. And that was the first of nine grandchildren the McFarlands were blessed to enjoy. Over the years, their awareness grew. They were increasingly aware that they were trapped. They never got free from the trap. They never did want to. Why would they. It was a trap God uses to give couples great love and joy. God has used it for thousands of years. It’s the Grandparent Trap. Enjoy, all you Clays and Julies out there!
