On May 30th, 2008, I had the distinct privilidge of giving the commencement address to the Chattanooga Christian class of 2008. Your class will always have a special place in my heart and I will miss you all terribly next year.
About one month ago, I was having dinner with my lovely finacee and I told her, "I have no idea what in the world I am going to say in the commencement address." It was at that moment that the Lord literally dropped this idea of what it means to "swim upstream" in this world. I have been asked by some of you to highlight some of the points that the Lord laid on my heart. You are all in my prayers and I wish you a great summer and a successful college career. It's amazing how God always provides us with things He wants us to say.
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Most people the swim choose to swim downstream because it is the easy thing to do. Swimming downstream doesn't require much effort because the current quickly takes you away. Swimming upstream requires a lot of effort and not many people choose to do it because it is tiring. I have this sacrad place in Chattanooga that overlooks the Tennessee river. For years, I thought that downstream flowed from right to left(based on the reflection of the sun and wind patterns). It wasn't until a few years ago that I realized that my assumtions were completely wrong. One hot summer day, I jumped into this body of water and realized that downstream was actually flowing from left to right. Once I went underwater and felt the current, I realized that I had been deceived.
The same is true with the "undertows" of this world. The undertow is a strong force that quietly but strongly carries you away from your starting point. If you are not careful, it is easy to live your life in a downstream manner-going with the world and choosing to do things that seem good but in reality they will take you further and further away from the things that God created you for on this earth. When you swim upstream, it makes you stronger and better equipped to handle temptation and difficulties. It is my prayer that each of you will choose to swim upstream once you get to college.
Here are some things that I want you to put in your backpack as you begin your college journey. It is my prayer that these things will outweight your heavy books.
1. Always remember that a kind word to someone can change someone's day, week, month or life. Always remember to be kind to people.
2. Remember that the price tag on your life is priceless. Take care of yourself physically and mentally and spiritually.
3. Go and find three people on your college campus as soon as you arrive. Go and find a Paul(someone older to mentor you), a Barnabas(someone your own age to hold you accountable), and a Timothy(someone younger that you can mentor).
**Remember that on this graduation night, you may be graduating from high school but you will never graduate from your walk with Christ. Enjoy this red dot moment because I guarantee you that you will have many more to come!
Here is the C.S. Lewis quote that I read at the end, "And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.
About one month ago, I was having dinner with my lovely finacee and I told her, "I have no idea what in the world I am going to say in the commencement address." It was at that moment that the Lord literally dropped this idea of what it means to "swim upstream" in this world. I have been asked by some of you to highlight some of the points that the Lord laid on my heart. You are all in my prayers and I wish you a great summer and a successful college career. It's amazing how God always provides us with things He wants us to say.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Most people the swim choose to swim downstream because it is the easy thing to do. Swimming downstream doesn't require much effort because the current quickly takes you away. Swimming upstream requires a lot of effort and not many people choose to do it because it is tiring. I have this sacrad place in Chattanooga that overlooks the Tennessee river. For years, I thought that downstream flowed from right to left(based on the reflection of the sun and wind patterns). It wasn't until a few years ago that I realized that my assumtions were completely wrong. One hot summer day, I jumped into this body of water and realized that downstream was actually flowing from left to right. Once I went underwater and felt the current, I realized that I had been deceived.
The same is true with the "undertows" of this world. The undertow is a strong force that quietly but strongly carries you away from your starting point. If you are not careful, it is easy to live your life in a downstream manner-going with the world and choosing to do things that seem good but in reality they will take you further and further away from the things that God created you for on this earth. When you swim upstream, it makes you stronger and better equipped to handle temptation and difficulties. It is my prayer that each of you will choose to swim upstream once you get to college.
Here are some things that I want you to put in your backpack as you begin your college journey. It is my prayer that these things will outweight your heavy books.
1. Always remember that a kind word to someone can change someone's day, week, month or life. Always remember to be kind to people.
2. Remember that the price tag on your life is priceless. Take care of yourself physically and mentally and spiritually.
3. Go and find three people on your college campus as soon as you arrive. Go and find a Paul(someone older to mentor you), a Barnabas(someone your own age to hold you accountable), and a Timothy(someone younger that you can mentor).
**Remember that on this graduation night, you may be graduating from high school but you will never graduate from your walk with Christ. Enjoy this red dot moment because I guarantee you that you will have many more to come!
Here is the C.S. Lewis quote that I read at the end, "And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.
2 comments:
What was the C.S. Lewis quote?
Nice write-up, Mr. Walker, and I think it's a great way to send off for the students. Do you mind if I take some of this post and put it on my website (downwithdisease.com)?
Oh, it's Eric from John Carroll.
:)
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