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Dear Saints, June 2004
June is here!! ! In about thirty days we will be halfway through 2004. God has been awesome this year and, as usual, He abides faithful in our lives and in His church. As I write to you Maria and I are attempting to take out a second mortgage to buy gifts for all the graduates in our family this year! I’m joking of course but I am wondering if there is some kind of a budget plan for occasions such as these.
It’s a season of graduations. Many people have adorned themselves with those special robes and funny hats. Though different colors represent different schools, to the people who wore them they all meant the same thing - a road traveled had finally come to an end, and a new road was beginning. Maria told me of a student at Washington University that had to get an "A" grade in a class he was taking in order to graduate. It seems he had been left behind year after year because his grade point average did not meet the minimum required to graduate. Ceremony after ceremony he would watch his friends, and fellow classmates adorn the robe and walk down the aisle when their name was called. He watched them all throw their hats into the air in joyful celebration when diplomas were granted. This person kept dreaming of next year, that it would be the year he too would graduate from college. Finally, all that stood between him and his diploma was an A in one class. He could, he would, and he did! Knowing what was at stake, he put everything he had into that last class, and earned not only an "A" but an "A+" for his efforts. At long last it was time to order his robe for the big day. Last Friday was the day of the commencement ceremony at Wash U, and boy it was hot outside. How hot was it? It was so hot that well, you’ll just have to ask David Letterman, I believe he is the one that does the "how hot was it" jokes. I can tell you this, it was hot enough that everybody was complaining about the discomfort of wearing the robes. Everybody except one young man. That’s right, the cost had been too high and the wait too long for our friend with the 2.0 average to complain. He wouldn’t want to wear anything lighter or cooler than that long robe and mortarboard with the dangling tassle, and no matter how uncomfortable the robe became he wore it with pride.
This young man’s story reminds me of the robes of righteousness we have been given to wear. Yes, sometimes choosing to be like Jesus Christ can become uncomfortable. These robes of righteousness can, at times, feel heavy and constrictive. They definitely can be out of style with the world around us. But like our friend, if we remember what that robe of righteousness cost, nobody, no circumstances no discomfort could make us ever want to forsake it. Jesus paid too high of a price to clothe us with robes of righteousness. Graduates wearing robes are easily identified from others that are only watching the ceremony. In the same way, our robes of righteousness mark us, they identify us with Him. Why wouldn’t we shout? Why wouldn’t we wear that robe with honor because of the one who put it on us? To the one and only wise God be glory now and forever! Make every effort to join us this Sunday for praise and worship in the Father’s house.
Still feeling fine in my robe,
Pastor Rick
