A Message To Graduates….And The Rest Of Us
(This post was written by Michael Wallace, High School Pastor)
May is all about graduation. For the seniors and their families it is a time to celebrate the hard work and determination that has allowed them to walk the stage. For juniors the long-awaited senior year is finally within reach. Sophomores begin to refer to themselves as upperclassmen, and freshmen…well, freshmen are just excited to not be freshmen anymore!
During this season many Scriptures are used as inspirational material for the graduates. One of my favorites is Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.“ While this verse is full of optimism and excitement when looking towards the days ahead, the context paints a slightly different picture. Jeremiah was passing on the Word of the Lord in a time when his people were in exile. The king of Babylon had ransacked the country and taken the best of the best to work for him. Meanwhile, the rest of the people were scattered throughout the Babylonian community. Needless to say, things did not look good.
But the point is not that the people were in turmoil and chaos. The best part of this passage is that the message remains the same. God didn’t promise prosperity in the middle of a booming economy. He promised to lead them out of exile and into a land of peace where they would yet again have a relationship with Him. On top of that, God gave them the blueprint for how to keep this relationship going…which is just as impactful for you graduates.
Jeremiah 29:12-13 – “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Are you focused more on the hope, future and prosperity that you want? Or on the seeking, calling and praying for the relationship with God that He wants? You can’t have one without the other. The great things that God has planned for us are only obtainable through obeying Him and developing a relationship with Him. Graduates…are you seeking or planning?
