The New School Year: A Word of Encouragement
August 21, 2019
Around this time of the year, most families experience a certain kind of Change Agent: the new school year. Love it or hate it, the sun of summertime begins to set, the new year dawns, and you’re met with all kinds of new things! New teachers, new classmates, new opportunities for growth. Some of us will look back fondly upon memories of the past school year, wishing for more of the same in the year ahead. Others will anticipate what’s in store and will hope for better days to come.
When we encounter drastic change of any kind, we experience a form of both loss and gain. When we move, we experience loss of closeness and proximity with those we leave behind, while we gain new relationships and opportunities for work and service in our new location. When we start a new job or venture on a new career path, we bid farewell to our former work and gain a kind of freedom to forge a new workflow and formulate goals for ourselves.
For the college students, youth, and children here at Grace, they are about to experience all kinds of new opportunities. The challenges of higher academia. The rigors of discipline in new areas of study. Growth and sanctification in relationships with other people.
However, in the midst of both loss and gain, God remains the same.
In Deuteronomy 34, the servant of the LORD, Moses, crossed over the River Jordan (death) to the better Promised Land of Glory, after beholding the promised land of Canaan. His portion was better than the earthly inheritance of God’s people here in this life. But his death still stung the people of Israel. They grieved the loss of their leader, and Joshua rose up in his place, according to the Lord’s provision.
Can you imagine being shaken up like Joshua? With all this change, where do you go next? To what do you turn? To whom will you turn?
God spoke to Joshua in Joshua 1:9 with the following words: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
As Christians, children of the living God, this truth stands tall in each of our lives: come what may, the LORD our God is with us wherever we go. We experience change. We experience new seasons. We experience joys and sorrows, great gains and losses. But the Lord is our never-shaken Rock. He is the Father of lights who doesn’t fade or dim. He is our ever-present Help in time of need.
For those of you who are students, entering into a new season of life, know that God is with you. Your parents, youth leaders, pastors, and elders are here for you. We pray for you often and desire to support you to the very best of our abilities. You will experience times ahead that bring so much happiness along with difficult times that leave you with more questions than answers. But remember that God is with you wherever you go. His love for you is greater far than tongue or pen could ever tell.
The love of God toward you, believer, is rich and pure, measureless and strong. It shall forevermore endure. So will you let it be the song of your soul in this new season of life?
