Karen's Korner: To The Seniors On Senior Honors Day

Friday, May 16, 2014

To The Seniors On Senior Honors Day

Yesterday was Senior Honors Day at Benjamin Russell High School. All of the awards, scholarships, and recognitions were given to the graduating class of 2014. It is one of my favorite days because I have watched these kids grow up from scared little 9th graders to confidant seniors and love them. They are my babies. I would like to share with them the following advice. They will need it when they step into the world as adults next at 7:00 Friday night at the Charles Bailey Sportplex. "You’ve spent the past four years or so listening to choice words of wisdom from adults on all sides. Parents. Teachers. Youth leaders. Pastors. Everyone had a lesson to teach. And at least a time or two you probably became impatient with that. You may even have asked yourself, “Why do I need to know this? I’ll never use it!” Your Lord has some choice words for you, too, and these are words you can use, anytime and anywhere, day in and day out—constantly. God’s words guide, protect, enrich, correct, help, empower, teach, and shed light on everything you’ll ever do! They even create faith! (2 Timothy 3:14-17, Romans 1:16, Ephesians 2:8-9)! And with apologies to mathematicians—not even calculus can do that! Jesus’ choice words of life, for life, include these:

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. John 15:16 Amazing! The God who created this universe down to every detail cares enough about you and me to . . .

choose us to be his own sons and daughters;
send his only Son as a sacrifice for our sins;
forgive our every sin, based on that sacrifice; and
give us the gift of life with him now here on earth and life after we die in heaven!

So why share these particular choice words with graduates? Because these words provide the foundation for your new beginning. They can change every experience you have from this day forward. You can choose to walk into your future alone, without your Savior, taking a pass on faith in Jesus. But if instead you commit your future to your Savior, it’s evidence that the Holy Spirit is working in your life right now. And evidence that he wants to bless you throughout your life.

These choice words describe the amazing life God intends for you. You truly can use them every day (and probably a lot more often than you’ll use those right-angled triangle trigonometric ratios you’ve learned about)." Good luck Class of 2014. God Bless You All.

Editor’s note: This devotion is adapted from CTA’s new book for graduates, New Beginnings for Graduates. Written by Tim Wesemann in his always-popular style, all the devotions and articles in this book will encourage and uplift recent graduates. (It’s value-priced, too!).