By Pastor Mark Moreno
Celebrate
You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.
When I feel a little nostalgic, I find myself sifting through old photos. They are quite wonderful because they capture a moment in time that evokes various memories and personalities, and it is often great to just reminisce.
This photo captures a moment in time for me as I graduated from a basic course in Newport, Rhode Island. I had spent the summer being changed from a civilian into a sailor, where we ate, drank and slept all things Navy.
Looking back now it has been 25 years since this photo was taken and I can still remember many moments quite vividly. Have you ever found yourself going through old photos and remembering? How about graduations specifically?
A beautiful thing about graduation is that it marks the end of a course of study, where hours upon hours were spent in education. It is a celebration of a significant accomplishment! But it is also a moment where we are invited to look ahead at what the future will bring.
Our walk with God is a lifetime of learning, one where there may not seem to be many “graduation” moments. Maybe you were instructed and confirmed, maybe an adult discipleship class, but we never really graduate from what it means to learn and grow in Christ!
In Proverbs 22, we read,
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
English Standard Version
Maybe every day is a graduation. Maybe every time we pray, we read the Bible, we talk to others and live out our faith it is a mini graduation. I mean, it is a significant moment and we are invited to think about what that means for the future.
In this photo, I didn’t know I would go to Africa and Cuba. I didn’t know I would care for families on duty at Arlington Cemetery. I didn’t know how God would use me or strengthen me. But by His grace, He absolutely blessed me. I know our God does the same for you, and His love for you in His Son Jesus knows no end.
I know May is a month where graduations seem to be every five minutes. But know that these special moments will last well after the calendar turns. And God will be there for us as we remember and celebrate!
Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
