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Good morning, Saints, and greetings from Crean Lutheran High School in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ!
I pray you have been enjoying the Son-shine this spring. Springtime activities in a high school always include a host of activities: winding down the spring athletic seasons, Senior Week, prom, celebrating awards and achievements, spring instrumental, worship, and dance performances, and yes - preparing for our Commencement Worship Service, a time to celebrate and bless our Seniors and their families. This year, we look forward to “commencing” 284 Seniors in the class of 2025.
Today’s devotion explores our Seniors' “commencing.” To commence means to begin, to start, to have or to make a beginning, according to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary. Many high schools across the nation will be graduating their Seniors and perhaps even wishing them luck or, worse yet, good riddance! Not at Crean Lutheran High School! We rejoice with them and will thank the Lord for each unique Senior and wish each one Godspeed! Godspeed on their new journey into the mission field, our world.
I believe our Senior Saints have an advantage over many of their peers; it’s true. They are embarking on a new journey with a different perspective of the world, a Biblical perspective. A perspective that gives them an advantage and an opportunity. Today’s Bible verse from Romans is a section that the Apostle Paul describes as the mark of a Christian. In this verse, Paul urges us in three ways when the pressures of the world press down on us: Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer!
Rejoice in hope. Rejoicing is more than merely being happy. Happiness is a response to something, and consequently, it is fleeting. Happiness is a reaction, an event caused by an event. Rejoicing, however, is deeper. Rejoicing is deeper, more enduring, and attached to something internal. Paul urges us to rejoice in hope, the hope we have from the glory of our Lord. The hope we have because we are saved by grace and therefore have eternal life (Eph. 2:9). Our Seniors may be happy to be graduating and moving on to the next leg of their journey, but are joyful in the knowledge of the hope of their salvation because of their Savior, Jesus Christ. The hope they take with them, the hope that will strengthen them, and the hope they can share with the world as they continue to Proclaim Jesus Christ in all they do.
Patient in tribulation. Patient in tribulation, how is this possible? It is understandable to be anxious in tribulation, worried in tribulation, and scared in tribulation, but patient? Paul could speak as an expert in tribulation; he had overcome his fair share of calamity to know that patience is only possible because of hope. The hope that is found in knowing that the future is secure no matter what happens today, tomorrow, or in the future. Our Seniors can be patient in tribulation, and seeing the world today, unfortunately, we know they will face tribulation. The influence of the very hope [in Jesus] that gives them joy secures patience in tribulation.
Constant in prayer. Constant? How often should a Christian be engaged in prayer? Paul recommends being constant. To be patient and persevere in tribulation, we must be constant. We know the Lord will never forsake us, but often it is easy to forget Him. Life can be hard. Share the burden; live near God; and constantly talk to Him. Seniors, as you leave the friendly confines of CLHS, continue to go to the throne of grace for fresh supplies of grace to strengthen and sustain your journey and your faith. Be constant in prayer.
It is an honor and brings great joy to watch our students grow from younger adolescent 9th graders into young adult Seniors who are prepared for the next steps in life. Through a Christian worldview, they are better prepared and more equipped than most of their peers, not only for this world but for the one beyond. No, we can’t take credit for that. Partnering with their parents and families who have raised them is a distinct honor. It has been a joy for our faculty and staff to come alongside and teach them in their journey using a Biblical worldview and watch the Holy Spirit work in their lives to become prepared Christian leaders.
We will miss the class of 2025, and as I remind every class, they’re our favorite and we love them. We hope they stay in touch and share how the Lord is working in their lives, celebrating the Day of the Lord. Until then, we look forward to our 16th Annual Commencement Service, where we will, together with our Senior Saints and their families, rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, and constant in prayer. Amen!
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