Here We Go Again!
For
weeks now, while local stores have been shifting their inventory from summer to
fall clothing and décor, commercials on TV and online ads have also been eager
to share the deals they offer on various back to school items. Perhaps you have also seen friends from
southern states posting pictures of their kids proudly holding chalkboards and
letterboards displaying, “First day of ___ Grade.” This week Loudoun County students will join
their ranks for the 2018-2019 school year.
As a
student and then as a teacher, a new school year was always equal parts
stressful and exciting. New clothes and
school supplies can do a lot to somewhat ease the tension of busy school and
sports schedules and getting back into the routine of picking out outfits and
making lunches before you finally crash each evening. I loved having a new beginning each year as a
teacher. It gave me an opportunity to
get reorganized, try new ideas, and hopefully, come back in mid-August more
refreshed than when I left in June. But
new beginnings also come with unknowns; during my eight years at Potomac Falls
High School, I taught nine different math courses and worked with three
different principals and countless new coworkers. That’s quite a bit of change and uncertainty
in just a few years.
Fortunately,
we have examples in God’s Word of people who faced huge unknowns in their own
lives and the promises God gave them in the process. Several thousand years ago, God called Abraham
to obey Him by leaving everything that was familiar:
“The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Go from your
country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will
show you.
‘I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.’”
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.’”
I’m sure there were many times throughout
Abraham’s life that he felt anxious about the unknowns that lay ahead, but he
rested in the promises God had made to Him.
Whether you’re a teacher, student, or parent, a new school year will
always hold some unknowns. But there’s
also something nice (at least for me) about getting back into a routine.
Change is unavoidable in this life. But we have an unchanging God whose promises
are faithful. Throughout Scripture, God
is described as rock and a fortress (Psalm 62:5), a stronghold (Psalm 59:16), a
sure foundation (Isaiah 33:6), and an anchor (Hebrews 6:19). I love those descriptions! When everything else in my life feels like
shifting sand or that it’s moving too quickly, I cling to my secure God. And though my faith may waiver at times, my God
does not.
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