Praying for High School Graduates by Eric Zahnd

Second Baptist has traditionally celebrated with graduates each May, focusing especially on high school graduates from 2BC. Like many things, the celebration was a little different this year. Our church service was a virtual one, broadcast on Facebook and YouTube. This blog entry is adapted from my prayer during the Prayers of the People portion of that service from Sunday, May 17.

My youngest son happens to be a high school graduate this year. I allude to his college-aged brother and him below when I mention fishing on many afternoons.

This is the most extraordinary time of our lives. But we know God is even more extraordinary. We know that the Almighty God has led people through events as extraordinary as these, time and time again.  And we know that God is with us now, prepared to lead us through these trying times.

I have been thinking a lot lately about high school graduates because one of the millions of this year’s graduates happens to be my son. This is certainly not how any of them envisioned their senior years to end, and the events of this year will no doubt be etched in their memories for the rest of their lives.

They lost some things. They did not get to celebrate the last day of their high school careers together with their friends, and they did not attend proms or compete in spring sports events, music contests, or final debate tournaments. They did not have spring musical productions. They did not get to sign one another’s yearbooks.

But I hope that, along with the memories of the things they lost, they will find new ways to celebrate. These graduates will have memories unlike any graduates from the class of 2019 and, hopefully, 2021 and beyond. They will always be able to tell others about the truly unique events of their senior year. I hope that, for each of our graduates, they will have some happy memories of this exceptional spring: perhaps a special dinner with family; playing games with friends over Zoom; or fishing with their brother many afternoons.

As much as I think about these high school graduates’ pasts and present, I think even more about their futures. As they depart in a few months for college or take on other challenges, I hope that some degree of normalcy will return to their lives—and all of our lives—even while we acknowledge that the path will be long before we settle into a new normal. I pray that their college or other endeavors will be years of joy and continued growth, filled with new friends, new insights, and new experiences.

I also think about the rest of our community during these extraordinary times. I pray daily for the leaders of government, health care, and business communities as they work to balance the safety of all citizens with the understandable desire to reopen our stores, restaurants, workplaces, and churches. I pray that God will grant these leaders wisdom; while these are unprecedented times in our lives, nothing is unexpected to God.

I also pray each day for those who are sick or largely alone during this time. Many families are physically separated from their senior members, unable to give grandma a hug on her birthday or play a game of cards with grandpa. I hope those who are particularly isolated during this time will feel God’s presence intimately as we continue to show them our bountiful love by maintaining a physical distance.

I often find myself praying something like this, and I hope you’ll join me in this prayer:

God, we know that your extraordinary love surrounds us in all extraordinary times: in times of joy; in times of sadness; in times of stress; and in times of tranquility. We pray that we would sense your love for us regardless of the nature of the extraordinary things we are facing now. Please, most Extraordinary God, grant our prayers. Amen.