“Since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!” Isaiah 64:4 NLT
My oldest son loves studying about the solar system. He continually shares facts and figures about space. Did you know that Saturn has 82 moons? I now know that thanks to my son Gabe. God has used Gabe to open my eyes to see His creation. And… if I’m ever on Jeopardy, I am going to crush any category connected to space!
Recently, Gabe and I read about something called a Great Conjunction, an event that happens one night, every 20 years. Jupiter and Saturn are the two biggest planets. They orbit the sun at very different rates of speed; they are rarely ever aligned side by side. One is always faster or slower than the other. However, for one night every 20 years, Jupiter and Saturn come together, side by side. A Great Conjunction, both lined up together.
I don’t know about you, but I am content and relieved when pieces of my life are neatly lined up, when everything is clear. Unfortunately, life is not always that tidy. The path forward is not always clearly marked. The 2022 graduating class has had to be expert navigators through unmarked territories! You’ve traversed a pandemic and journeyed through ever-changing terrain.
And you’ve almost made it to graduation! We are just approaching that time of rich, substantial celebration! Right now, you are pushing toward that graduation finish line, with your families and teachers praying you on to completion. What once felt so far away, is now quite within reach, practically here. All the spinning pieces are gradually starting to slow down and line up. A Great Conjunction! God has been working all along, never leaving you as you arrive at commencement.
Commencement is a day that is meant to be treasured and celebrated. It’s also the start of a new beginning. What comes after commencement is really where we can lean into the Lord, the author and illustrator of the next journey you will travel. There is not one minute, not one second, where He is not present and working in your life. You are never alone as you step out to the next adventure.
As I type these words, I realize they are very much for me, too. I have spent the last twelve years at NorthStar Academy, a place where, like you, I have been able to grow and learn alongside inspiring students and teachers. And like you, God is authoring a next chapter where He is calling me to serve in new and different ways outside of NorthStar. The emotions I feel, I’d imagine, are like yours as you graduate, mixed and across the spectrum.
While our next journeys are still to be written, we can trust in an amazing Father and Guide, a God who walks with us as we start off on new ventures, a God who knows just when we need to see glimpses of Great Conjunctions, times when He bursts through and is so real and visible in our lives.
“By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.” 2 Peter 1:3.
He has and will equip us as we journey onward. Even after leaving NorthStar, we will always be NSA Navigators with the best, most steadfast, Guide.
Congratulations, Class of 2022, and blessings to each of you!
