A MONTH OF NEW BEGINNINGS
June is traditionally a month for weddings and graduations. Both events are suggestive on the spiritual level. Weddings mark the beginning of a life lived in partnership with another person. Graduations mark the end of a long journey of learning and the reward for finishing the course. So it is on the spiritual level. For the Christian, life lived purely for self lacks meaning. As God viewed creation at the outset, He said, “It is not good for man to be alone” (Gen 2:18). Part of being created in the image of God is being created as a relational being. Part of being a Christian is being part of the family of God with all its relational responsibilities. Likewise, all of life is an educational journey. There will be moments of triumph and moments when we fail the pop-quizzes that often show up out of nowhere. But our tutor, the Holy Spirit, does not give up on us nor does our teacher, Jesus Christ, expel us from his university. One academic institution that I am familiar with once had a philosophy of washing out as many students as possible with only the “cream” graduating. No longer shackled by that philosophy, they now view every student from the perspective, “if they are good enough to enter here, then we will do everything possible to help them stay the course and graduate.” This reminds me of how God views our relationship with Him and His Son. While we were not good enough to get into God’s school of divine image shaping, He nevertheless loved us so much that He sent His own Son to pay our tuition costs in total, upon the cross. Upon entering His halls, we are viewed as priceless investments of Holy Spirit education and tutelage. Graduation is guaranteed because He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Our wedding, as we became part of the bride of Christ, was a glorious moment in our lives. But far greater will be that day of graduation when our Lord will say to us, “Well done my good and faithful servant.” In the meantime, let us take our degree of salvation and serve Christ with all that His gift of grace has given to us. Just as “the Son of man did not come to be served but to serve” (Mark 10:45), let us consider ourselves servants of the King. Let us say with Isaiah the prophet, “Here am I Lord, send me” (Isa 6:8). Pastor Mike
