By Kelly Akins
Today is an exciting day in the life of Wilshire. We are honoring our graduating seniors, blessing them and sending them forth into the world to do good work. Many of them were dedicated or baptized here in this Sanctuary, and we promised to pray for them, teach them and love them as they grew.
We will continue to love them and pray for them as they go forth. As Timothy says, “May they have a good life, not an easy life.” Graduates, go and be blessed. We are proud of you.
One of our longstanding traditions at Wilshire is for the youth to sing composer Allen Pote’s setting of Psalm 139. This song teaches us that God knew us before we were made and knows us from birth to death. We cannot flee from God’s presence because God is always with us and walks before us. We are never alone, and it is our responsibility to believe faithfully because God promises to always be with us.
This morning we will also sing the hymn, “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus,” and the second verse also speaks to this idea. Music speaks the words my heart needs to hear today:
Alleluia! Not as orphans are we left in sorrow now;
Alleluia! Christ is near us, faith believes, nor questions how;
Though the cloud from sight received him when the forty days were o’er
Shall our hearts forget his promise, “I am with you evermore”?
Our Gospel reading today is John 17:1–11. In this passage, Jesus is praying to God. Our precious gift from God is eternal life that is given to us through Jesus Christ. Jesus submits obediently to God by giving up his life. I wonder when I am called to be obedient to God. Obedience in my life usually comes with reluctance and over time. I wonder how I can be obedient more consistently. Graduates, I pray that you will listen to the Spirit of God and be obedient to Christ Jesus.
In this passage, Jesus prays for protection of his own. That’s me and you. What a comfort that is. As our graduates go out into the world to do good work, they leave us knowing that Jesus is praying for their protection, and so are we.