This was to be graduation weekend, and so it will be my last prayer for the class of 2020. While our actual in-person (hooray) graduation is postponed until June, we do have a virtual Baccalaureate tomorrow night, marking the end of senior year. Having had two other seniors pass this way, I can say with authority that senior year never looks quite like what you expected. But, of course, this year was in a league of its own. I’m grateful that I was able to walk through this year with an amazing group of parents. (I love you guys; you know who you are.) Today’s prayer references Revelation, Exodus, Proverbs, Philippians, Colossians, and Numbers.

Father,

Wow. Here we are at the end of a long road, ready to watch our kids move to another path. We praise You for all the blessings we’ve seen:

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord almighty,
Who was and is and is to come! 
Worthy are You, our Lord and God,
To receive glory and honor and power,
For You created all things,
Andy by Your will they existed and were created.

Over and over, Father, You’ve told us to remember: to remember what You’ve done for us, to remember Your goodness, to remember the hard things and how You brought us through them. So this morning we remember of year of Your faithfulness:

Senior retreat
Donuts and ice cream days with Mr. Wilson
Convocation
Lunches in the courtyard
Homecoming night, especially for our beautiful girls
Sweet encouragement from Mrs. G in the art room
Endless practices on steamy fall afternoons and cold winter evenings
Competitions where everyone left their best on the field, court, mat and pool
Christmas Concerts
Quiet nights of college essays on top of homework
Passion 2020
The challenge of "further up and further in" with Mr. Huff
Practice upon rehearsal upon practice for the musical
The unexpected last night of Big Fish
Zoom classes and on-line homework
The absence of a routine
The phone calls and prayers and tears
The Donut Drop
Coach G's reminder to be Strong Trees
The Parade

You were there. You will always be right there with us.

Today we pray for our kids bodies, minds and hearts, their whole created being. Thank You, Father, for guarding our kids’ health throughout this pandemic. Continue to safeguard their health and their bodies as we move into summer. Help them to cultivate good habits to care for there bodies, remembering that minds and hearts and bodies are all linked as part of Your good creation.

And their minds, Father! How much fun it’s been to see each inquisitive mind grow, from ABCs to calculus and foreign language and literature. Our kids have been taught the proverb, “It’s the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings to seek them out.” And in learning that, they’ve learned it’s a good and noble and holy thing to seek Your truths by seeking the truths of Your work. Never let them forget that these truths are, indeed, Your truths, not some mere person’s, and that the truth will always point back to You. Guard their minds for Your glory.

And their hearts, Father. Renew them so they don’t get tired. Refresh them with streams of living water. Maker their spirits glad in You–the deep abiding joy that doesn’t waver or disappear when a season gets tough. Put joy in their hearts, and guard their hearts so that evil won’t touch them. Show them that, no matter what they think their hearts long for, that You are the real satisfaction of each one of their hearts. Meet each of our kids where they are today, Father, and guard their hearts.

Father, You have promised to supply every need of ours according to Your riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Today we declare that we trust our kids to You in this promise. We trust you with [insert the names of the seniors you are praying for here].

As so we’ll end with a few more of Paul’s words over the Class of 2020. From the day we heard of our children, we have not ceased praying for them, asking that they may be filled with the knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of You, Lord, fully pleasing to You: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in their knowledge of You, being strengthened with all power, according to Your glorious might for all endurance and patience and joy.

And, sweet friends who have walked this road with me since August, I offer this benediction:

May the Lord bless us and keep all of us,
May He make His face shine on us and be gracious to us,
May He lift His countenance upon us and give us peace.

Amen.

Thank you for joining me for whatever portion of this year you’ve been here. It’s been a joy.