The Benediction

To all those of you out there who are going through change soon, as am I:

"No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.... Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
--Joshua 1:5-9 (NIV)

It occurs to me as I reread this passage that it it just as applicable today as it was when God spoke it to Joshua over 3,000 years ago. If God is for us, who can be against us? There is also a covenant in this passage: "Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go." I say "covenant" instead of "promise" because there's a very important difference: a promise implies unconditional follow-through, whereas with a covenant, we must keep up our end of the bargain to reap God's benefits. This is my prayer for the class of 2005: Follow God's will in your life and submerge yourself in His Word so that you can be sure of your footing once you enter college, the working world, the military, or whatever other aspect of life you may pursue. In times of change, a solid foundation in Christ is absolutely essential. Hold onto your ideals! Don't let corruption dissuade you or work its corrosive ways in you, but instead rise above your difficulties and hand them to God to deal with. In short, hold onto your faith in Christ and He will hang onto you. Never compromise, never surrender, and never underestimate your fullest potential.