Across the country it’s graduation time. Here in South Dakota many schools have already closed for the summer. Most of those that remain open will close in the coming days. Everywhere one turns there’s another grad party. What awaits all these new grads? A decade ago I wrote an articlefor my newspaper column with some advice for recent graduates.While it was aimed at high school graduates, it is also highly relevant to recent college grads. The article hasbecome one of the most popular pieces Iever wrote. I’ve received hundreds of emails thanking me fortaking the time to shareit. Therefore, I decided to republish it annually around graduation time. I hope some of you might find it useful.You can view the original article in the Tribune-Democrat news at this link:http://goo.gl/LtN72
For those who are graduating high school this year and beginning the long transition into adulthood, I’d like to offer…
Along the wilderness journey we call life, one will inevitably face periods of adversity. They can begin in a multitude of ways. Some of the most common causes are the death of a loved one, a bad medical diagnosis, the breakup of a love relationship, losing a job, or a personal financial crisis just to name a few. In extreme cases, severe adversity can make one wonder whether their life is worth living anymore.
My life has been overflowing with adversity recently, including the deaths of a beloved uncle and a beloved brother-in-law in rapid succession, and my own health concerns. Prayer and meditation on God’s word can be a great source of comfort when facing adversity. The Lord Jesus has given his followers a model for prayer in what today we generally refer to as “the Lord’s Prayer.” The most familiar form of His prayer is found in chapter 11 of Luke’s Gospel.
It is Jesus model for daily prayer and focuses on approaching life with faith in God, one day at a time. I suspect that Jesus prayed a similar prayer daily. I have found Psalm 143 to be a wonderful companion to the Lord’s Prayer, particularly when believers are navigating periods of adversity. This psalm is attributed to David and is one of the Seven Penitential Prayers found in the Book of Psalms. Below I share some thoughts on how this psalm speaks to me.
Psalm 143 (a form used in the Scottish Episcopal Church)
1 Lord, hear my prayer, and in your faithfulness heed my supplications; answer me in your righteousness.
This is an opening petition acknowledging that God listens to my prayers and takes them to heart. Our God is a good listener and is never too busy to pay attention when one of His children prays. He seriously considers each prayer I lift up to Him, and he answers each according to His holy will.
2 Enter not into judgement with your servant, for in your sight shall no one living be justified. Verse 2 asks God not to judge me by my actions, as all have sinned against Him and fallen short of the total obedience He requires. I can rest assured that I don’t have to earn the right to pray to God. Christ has already paid the price of admission for a space where I may kneel before the throne of God the Father and offer my heartfelt prayers. Jesus is my advocate before the Father and the Holy Spirit prays for me when I lack the proper words to make my own petitions.
3For my enemy has sought my life; he has crushed me to the ground; he has made me live in dark places like those who are long dead. 4My spirit faints within me; my heart within me is desolate.
These verses remind me of 1 Peter 5, which describes Satan as a roaring lion that is on the prowl looking for someone to devour. For me it paints a dark picture of the adversity I am facing, as if I were hiding in a tomb, filled with a spirit of fear and hopelessness, abandoned by God. Jesus must have felt like this hanging on the cross, asking why God had forsaken him.
5I remember the time past; I muse upon all your deeds; I consider the works of your hands. Verse 5 steps back and from the darkness and depression of the two preceding verses as the Psalmist recalls how God has led him through adversity and saved him. As I read this verse, I recall the many times in my life God has rescued me from adversity.
6I spread out my hands to you; my soul gasps to you like a thirsty land.7 O Lord, make haste to answer me; my spirit fails me; do not hide your face from me or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.
Like a small child reaching for the outstretched hands of a loving parent, I trust in my God for comfort and sustenance. My spirit thirsts for God like the desert thirsts for water. I ask God to respond quickly, as I feel like I’m standing on the brink of disaster.
8Let me hear of your loving-kindness in the morning, for I put my trust in you; show me the road that I must walk, for I lift up my soul to you.
As I begin a new day, I ask God to reassure me of his loving presence. I trust in God to sustain me throughout the day.
9Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord, for I flee to you for refuge.
I ask God to foil the plans of my enemies, both spiritual and physical ones. Seeking refuge from my enemies, I turn to God’s word and prayer for comfort.
10Teach me to do what pleases you, for you are my God; let your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
I ask the Holy Spirit to lead me along a safe path where I may understand God’s will for my life and learn how to do His will. I pray that the Holy Spirit will move the mountains of adversity that are in my way.
11Revive me, O Lord, for your name’s sake; for your righteousness’ sake, bring me out of trouble.
My spirit grows weary and I need God to renew and refresh me. In accordance with His holy will, I ask him to rescue me from all adversity that troubles me.
12Of your goodness, destroy my enemies and bring all my foes to naught, for truly I am your servant.
This closing verse echoes verse 9, reiterating my need for God’s protection from my enemies. I am reminded that as God’s servant, I am owned and protected in His holy service.
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Jesus raises a young girl from the dead (Luke 8:40-42)
“Never let an impossible situation intimidate you. Let it motivate you—to pray more, trust more, expect More.” —Pastor Rick Warren
Have you ever felt like you were in an impossible situation? Maybe it was a scary medical diagnosis. Or perhaps a loved one died. Maybe a job was lost and it took a long time to find the next one. Or perhaps a child was gravely ill. Regardless of the cause, countless people have experienced this feeling. I have certainly been there.
This feeling can be scary and may lead to any number of problems, including sadness, depression, loneliness, and feelings of isolation. Left unchecked, it can lead to thoughts about harming oneself or others, and even suicidal thoughts.
I can do all this through him who gives me strength. —Philippians 4:13*
Fortunately, God has the perfect way of dealing with impossible situations. Jesus Christ is the God of the impossible. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “miracle” as, “an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs.” The Gospels have numerous accounts of miracles performed by Jesus. Here are a number of them.
Early in his ministry on Earth, Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding in Cana of Galilee (John 2). He calmed a storm on the Sea of Galilee (Luke 8) and walked on water (Matthew 14). Following a long day of preaching, Jesus fed a crowd of 5,000 with seven loaves of bread and a few small fish (Mark 6). He healed the lame (John 5) and cleansed Lepers of their disease (Luke 17). Jesus cured a woman suffering with a fever (Matthew 8) and he cast out demons (Luke 8). He gave sight to the blind (John 9) and cured a woman with a bleeding disorder (Matthew 9). Jesus raised his friend Lazarus from the dead (Matthew 11). And finally, on the third day following his own death by crucifixion, Jesus rose from the dead, defeating sin and death forever.
Jesus was and remains the God of the Impossible for those who come to him as their Lord and Savior. I believe this in my heart. Believing is easy when things are going my way. I am trying to learn how to put this into action when the going gets too tough for me to handle. Every morning I meditate on Psalm 143 as part of my daily devotion time. I find verses 8 – 10 to be a great source of encouragement and comfort, especially when I feel overwhelmed by life. I hope you might find them equally useful.
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. Rescue me from my enemies, Lord, for I hide myself in you. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
God can do nothing for me until I recognize the limits of what is humanly possible, allowing Him to do the impossible. —Oswald Chambers
The following people have something in common: Cleopatra, Pontius Pilate, Ernest Hemingway, Adolph Hitler, Marilyn Monroe, Freddy Prinze, Kurt Cobain, Anthony Bourdain, and Naomi Judd. Can you guess what it is? If you said all are famous dead people you would be correct, but you would be omitting a key detail. All died by suicide! The number of celebrities who kill themselves is truly astounding.
Clearly, wealth and fame do not come with a promise of personal peace or happiness. Neither does good looks or talent. Yet many people pursue all these. Some people are attracted to celebrities like flies drawn to a sweaty horse. Whether it is Megan and Harry, the Kardashians, or one of the seemingly countless reality shows that fill the nation’s television screens. Speaker of the Lutheran Hour, the Rev. Dr. Martin Zeiglar, writes, “Some people who bemoan our celebrity culture long for the old days. But were the old days any different? Modern mass media has changed our expectations for knowing others and being known by them. But our core human problem is the same. We expect humans to give us what we need-whether we are delivering ourselves to a celebrity in a crate (as a Burt Reynolds fan purportedly did) or asking for a selfie with them, whether we’re looking to fans and friends for recognition or looking to ourselves for fulfillment, the problem is the same.”
In addition to celebrities, humans are naturally drawn to feel-good experiences; the wealthier one is, the more these experiences are available. How we love to spend money on a fun week at Disney World, or going on a cruise, or basking in the sun and surf on Waikiki Beach, or maybe you would prefer a week of skiing in the Austrian Alps. Maybe your feel-good definition is a big shopping spree with credit card in hand. Perhaps you follow music, television, movie, and sports celebrities in the media and seek vicarious pleasure from following their lives. Unfortunately, many people who take so-called dream vacations experience feelings of sadness or emptiness as soon the vacation ends when they are thrust back into the realities of their daily lives. Shopping sprees may satisfy for the moment, but bring trouble when the bills come due. And following the lives of famous celebrities is as likely to make one sad as happy.
At the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ (Luke 9:28-36), Jesus’ disciples Peter, John and James did not want to their experience on the mount to end. They had just seen Jesus’ countenance transfigured, his skin and clothing taking on a radiant glow as He spoke with Moses and Elijah. And they had heard the voice of God proclaim that Jesus is His beloved son. They wanted to extend their own mountaintop experience, saying to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah (verse 33).”
Unlike vacationers depressed and saddened at their end of vacation, the Apostles on the mount of transfiguration understood that God is the true source of happiness, not feel-good experiences, or certain human beings. In 2 Peter 1:16-18 we read, “For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’ We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.”
To be certain, all people are born with a natural longing that only God can truly satisfy. Putting one’s faith and hope in anything besides God and His son Jesus Christ will ultimately end in disappointment; and it is a form of idolatry. Is your mind focused on the face of an idol? Is the idol yourself? Is it your work? Are you chasing feel-good moments that fade? When one becomes mired in idolatry it impairs their ability to see God, rendering them powerless in the midst of adversity, when their soul most longs for God. Turn to God and find true fulfillment for all your inner longing.
Isaiah 26:9 – “My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you. When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.
Psalm 42:1-2 – “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?”
Psalm 73:24 – “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.”
Psalm 143:6 – “I spread out my hands to you; I thirst for you like a parched land.”
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
I have hundreds of friends. At least that is what my social media accounts tell me. The concept of friendship has changed significantly over the years, especially since the advent of the internet and social media. Social media friendships are so easy to make—just press the “Add Friend” button. But what is a real friend?
Speaking to his disciples, Jesus explained friendship like this in John 15:13 (NIV), “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Whoa! That rules out most of my social media friends. Real friendships, at least in Jesus’ definition, require personal relationships and a willingness to make sacrifices.
A real friend walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” –Walter Winchell
So, what is real friendship? I do not profess to have all the answers, but here are some things I have discovered about real friends:
They are there for you when others walk away.
They meet you where you are, warts, wrinkles and all.
They will make time for you, even when they cannot spare it.
They expect nothing in return and do not keep score.
They are good listeners.
They respect confidentiality.
They tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear.
They say, “Wow, you really screwed this up! Now how can I help you fix it?”
They walk beside you in the demon filled valleys.
They are at their best when you are at your worst.
For prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship with God. –St. Teresa of Avila
I am blessed with an abundance of friends. They know who they are. Most are fellow brothers or sisters in Christ. Thinking about what I like most about my friends makes me wonder if it is possible to be a friend of God? I believe it is. In Daniel 3, Daniel was bound and thrown into a fiery furnace because he refused to worship an image of King Nebuchadnezzar. God, presumably a preincarnate Jesus, appeared in the blazing furnace with Daniel. David, despite his many serious flaws, had such a close relationship with God that God called him, “a man after my own heart,” (Acts 13:22). God called Abraham “my friend” (Isaiah 41:8b). And God spoke to Moses face to face, “as a man speaks with a friend” (Exodus 33:11a). The closeness of God to these individuals was not due to their righteousness, as all were flawed. These friendships were a result of God’s grace and mercy.
God is eager to be your friend, but He is unlike your other friends in one important way. God wants you to be his disciple. Jesus, God the Father’s only begotten son, lived up to his own teaching that, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Are you ready to let God mold and shape your life like potter’s clay? Then lay down your life at his feet, pick up your cross and follow Jesus.
He (Jesus) washes us in Baptism and gives us new, clean clothes of goodness and holiness to wear—His own good clothes, to be ours forever. Finally, He gives us life—His own everlasting life, which He won for us when He rose from the dead, never to die again.–Dr. Kari Vo, The Lutheran Hour.
The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance. –Psalm 33:10-12*
The November midterm elections will soon be here and the political theater being played out in the media is growing more intense by the day. We live in an age of great political division. Many national leaders and prominent politicians think that they have all the answers, but they’re wrong. As the above passage from Psalm 33 notes, “The Lord foils the plans of the nations.” God remains in charge. There are no political solutions to America’s woes. What we need is more Jesus!
Here in America, those on the political right condemn the activities of the political left. Those on the left condemn the right. We hear and see it every day. “Our way is best for the American people.” “They’re weak on defense.” “They trample on the Constitution.” “They only know how to tax and spend.” “Their policies are destroying the environment.” “Their policies are destroying the economy.” Politics pits friend against friend, men against women, husbands against wives, parents against children, nation against nation, religion against religion, and Christian against Christian. The latter saddens me deeply—it just shouldn’t be. Christians should be kind to everyone, especially fellow believers. The Apostle Paul tells us:
“There is neither Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, (insert Republican or Democrat), but we are one in Christ Jesus.” –Galatians 3:28
Jesus told Pontius Pilate in John 18:36, “My kingdom is not of this world.” This wisdom reminds all Christians that we, including politicians, answer to a higher authority than the government or political leaders. In 1 Kings 22, the story is told of the time the King of Israel had to decide whether or not to go to war against Syria. Jehoshaphat, the King of Judah, advised his fellow ruler, “First seek the counsel of the Lord” before making a decision,” (verse 5). This is sound advice that Christians, and especially Christian politicians, would do well to take to heart. Seek God’s guidance before seeking the guidance of man. We should also note Matthew 5:16, “…let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Christians should be the living face and hands of Christ to the world.
God “makes nations great, and He destroys them; He enlarges nations, and leads them away,” (Job 12:23). Political leaders rule because God allows them to, “for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God,” (Romans 13:1b). God can upset human plans, but no one can thwart His plans or purpose. God loves the world and sent His only begotten Son to suffer and die to atone for the sins of every person of every political ilk.
Pastor Eugene Cho is CEO of Bread for the World, a non-partisan, Christian advocacy organization based in the USA. I highly recommend an article he penned a decade ago titled, “The 10 Commandments of Engaging Politics.” It contains a wealth of sound advice for Christians today as we approach the November elections. His article is available at this safe link:
Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him;tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name;let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength;seek his face always. –Psalm 105:1-4
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. –Psalm 107:1*
Recently I’ve been pondering what it means to give thanks to God. The Bible is full of examples of thanksgiving being lifted up to the Lord. After giving it much thought, I’ve come to several conclusions. First and foremost, thanking God is my way of acknowledging His supreme authority and position in my life. God gave me life! Everything that is good in my life is a gift from Him.
I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. –Psalm 69:30
Second, there are multiple ways to give thanks to God. These include praying; through the written, recorded and spoken work; in song; in giving of one’s time and treasure; and in prayerfully doing good works for others with no motive other than serving God. I write this blog as a thank offering to God. There are many other ways of thanking God that area not listed here. It occurs to me that we can thank God in almost any situation we encounter throughout the day. Continually thanking God can help one remain cognizant of God’s endless presence in his or her life.
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. –I Thessalonians 5:16-18
Third, we are to thank God in all circumstances, both the easy times, the difficult ones and those in between. In Philippians 4, the Apostle Paul tells us he has learned to be content whatever his circumstances. This is a tough one. In my lifetime I’ve had some real tragedies. When tragedy strikes, it is particularly difficult to discern any good at the time. Over the years I’ve learned to pray to God for strength to get me though the difficulties and to give me wisdom to understand. While it was difficult to discern the good at the time, in retrospect each difficult period of my life was a time of learning and spiritual growth that helped prepare me for God’s eternal kingdom.
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! –2 Corinthians 9:15
Finally, give thanks to the lord for his grace in offering us salvation through Jesus Christ.
Doxology
I thank you, God, for your grace, the gift of life and my salvation through Jesus Christ. Thank you for the Godly women who helped lead me to the Savior in my childhood. Thank you for loving aunts, uncles, and grandparents who helped raise and care for me after my parents divorced. Thank you for the churches and teachers who helped nurture and train me along the way. Thank you for giving me a godly wife to share my life with. Thank you for my children and grandchildren who bring joy to my life. Thank you for friends and family who have added richness to my life. Thank you for protecting and shielding me during times of trouble. Thank you for the work that enables me to sustain my family. Thank you for this day and all my days to come. Thanks be to God!
Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done, in Whom this world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms has blessed us on our way,
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.
Across the country it’s graduation time. Here in South Dakota many schools have already closed for the summer. Most of those that remain open will close in the coming days. Everywhere one turns there’s another grad party. What awaits all these new grads? A decade ago I wrote an article for my newspaper column with some advice for recent graduates. While it was aimed at high school graduates, it is also highly relevant to recent college grads. The article has become one of the most popular pieces I ever wrote. I’ve received hundreds of emails thanking me for taking the time to share it. Therefore, I decided to republish it annually around graduation time. I hope some of you might find it useful. You can view the original article in the Tribune-Democrat news at this link: http://goo.gl/LtN72
For those who are graduating high school this year and beginning the long transition into adulthood, I’d like to offer you a gift. Here are five enduring truths I have learned. They will help you through life’s journey.
Choices
“If you decide to just go with the flow, you’ll end up where the flow goes, which is usually downhill, often leading to a big pile of sludge and a life of unhappiness. You’ll end up doing what everyone else is doing.” ― Sean Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens
Life will deal you an endless string of choices along the way. Some will be trivial, like deciding what to wear today. Others will be weighty and their outcomes will affect you forever. Weighty decisions should always be preceded by much thought and soul searching. This includes decisions about who you date or marry, what you put into your body, bringing children into the world, what you do for a living, how much debt you incur and who you associate with.
All of these decisions will have a lasting effect on your life. Therefore, make them slowly and deliberately. Often you’ll discover that the right choice is not the easiest one. A habit of making poor choices will, as the Sean Covey quote suggests, drag your life downhill.
I was recently contacted by a young man who had just received a bad conduct discharge from the Navy. He asked me how the discharge would impact his future employability. His mistake was choosing to drive a car while intoxicated and hitting a pedestrian. Fortunately, the victim wasn’t seriously injured. Had it been otherwise, the young sailor would probably be in prison. It was my sad responsibility to inform him that with some employers the discharge would be a black mark for life. Choices matter!
Learning
“Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards.” ―Vernon Saunders Law, former professional baseball pitcher and Cy Young Award winner
Some of you will go on to college or technical school. Others will enter the workforce. Even if your formal education is over, don’t quit learning. Make learning a lifelong adventure. I did my undergraduate work at the University of Kentucky. The school offers a fellowship program for individuals aged 65 and older to attend classes tuition free. Every year numerous senior citizens walk the stage to receive degrees ranging from Associate of Arts to Doctor of Philosophy. It’s never too late to learn.
Even if you don’t choose to continue formal learning, make it point to learn from life. Observe others; note their successes and failures; then learn from their experiences. More importantly, learn from your own mistakes.
Some of the greatest lessons I’ve learned, particularly those while serving in uniform, were the result of having made a terrible mistake. This sort of lesson sticks, like the first time you grab the handle of a hot iron skillet with your bare hand. The key to learning from mistakes is owning them. Admit your mistakes and then move on, having learned something from the experience. Don’t let, “It wasn’t my fault,” be part of your vocabulary.
Work
“A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.” ―Colin Powell, retired U.S. Army four-star general and former U.S. Secretary of State
Work isn’t always fun. If it were, they’d call it play. Work can be downright unpleasant, but it’s an essential element of life! Along the way you’re going to have jobs you won’t like. Note what you don’t like and make it a point to improve yourself, so you’ll never again have to work at such a job.
Accepting a job means submitting to the authority of those placed over you. Learn to work within this system. You’ll inevitably have bosses you don’t like. Learn to respect the position, if not the individual.
Fairness
“Life is not fair; get used to it.” ―Bill Gates, founder and former CEO, Microsoft Corporation
You will hear much discussion about fairness in this life. It’s all hot air. Life isn’t fair. Some good people die young, while some bad people live a long life. Disease sometimes strikes arbitrarily, for no apparent reason. Some people prosper while others suffer failure. A death or accident can change your life forever.
There is randomness to life that can’t be avoided. Don’t expect kindness to be returned with kindness. Don’t expect generosity to be returned with generosity. The best choice is to be fair and kind to others and learn to accept what they return to you.
A wise man named Harry Browne ran for president of the United States on the Libertarian Party ticket. On Christmas day in 1966, Browne wrote his young daughter a letter aptly titled, “A Gift for My Daughter.” I encourage every graduating senior to read it and digest it. In the letter, he explains to his daughter that, “Nobody owes you anything.” Understanding what Browne meant can truly bless you. You can find it here. https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2015/12/harry-brownes-christmas-letter-to-his-daughter/
Faith
“A faith is a necessity to a man. Woe to him who believes in nothing.” ―Victor Hugo
I once had a senior Army officer tell me he preferred to work with men who possessed spiritual values, regardless of their religion. He explained that having faith in a power higher than one’s self was an indicator of how one will perform under pressure; in this instance, the pressure meant combat.
Too many people place their faith in all the wrong places. It might be in wealth, celebrity, good looks, talent, or even government. Whatever the case, misplaced faith leads to disappointment after disappointment.
To avoid these disappointments, put your faith in God alone. You, your loved ones and your friends will all inevitably let you down, but God will never fail you.
Divine Simplicity 
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