Blessings

What a ride.

Four years. Only about a twentieth of our average lifespan, but I kind of think it’s one of the most important “twentieths” we’re gonna have. For most of us, it’s the stage of life when we pick our life-long friends. When we travel to our biggest adventures. When we somehow get the longest and shortest amounts of sleep we’ll ever experience. When we spend the most money that we don’t actually have on food. When we fall in love and when we get our hearts broken. When we decide what we’re for and what we’re against. When we choose what we may want to spend the rest of our lives doing. When we try great things and make grave mistakes. When we begin to solidify the core of our character.

This is supposed to be a blessings service. I don’t really know what that means. Cuz blessing in my mind probably translates a bit differently than it does in yours. And I have a feeling blessings in God’s mind are sometimes wayyyy different than any of us picture. It’s funny what God’s blessings sometimes end up looking like.

When I first came here all I wanted was to learn how to work in a children’s ministry in the Bible belt, find an attractive husband, and be married by the time I was twenty. That’s literally all I remember wanting. Now I’m graduating, discovered I don’t even really like kids, want to move to Europe, and still haven’t even kissed a boy. It’s funny what God’s blessings sometimes end up looking like.

Abraham became a dad when he was almost a hundred years old. That had to be confusing, but because of that blessing the Israelites became God’s chosen people. Baby Moses was put in a basket and sent down the river by his mother. That must have been lonely, but because of that blessing the Israelite people were freed from generations of slavery. Joseph was sold to the Egyptians by his own brothers. That had to feel like betrayal, but because of that blessing an entire nation and his entire family were saved from starvation. David was the baby of the family, was given the cruddy job of taking care of sheep, and played musical instruments while his brothers were warriors. Those things may have been humbling, but because of those blessings, he ended up being king. Ruth became a widow at what was probably a young age. That must have broken her heart and left her hopeless, but because of that blessing we ended up with Jesus. It’s funny what God’s blessings sometimes end up looking like, don’t you think?

We’ve all been given blessings, and there are plenty of blessings up ahead in our future. James says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” Some of those blessings have been and will be obvious. Some of them have been and will be masked by confusion, by loneliness, by betrayal, by a broken heart, by humility. But all of them will be ordained by a God whose love for us knows no bounds.

I think for the vast majority of us, Milligan has been one of those blessings. My freshman year I was seriously considering transferring, and there have been 18 thousand reasons that have proved my decision to stay to be a blessing. Dennis making Thai bar. Professors inviting me to have dinner at their homes with their families. Strangers offering to drive me up Sutton hill in the rain. Belting the Gilmore Girls theme song with my friends after quiet hours. Holding my residents when their hearts were hurting. Happy hour Sonic or Dunkin runs when I should have been studying. Dr. Jackson pushing back paper due dates (which he does every single time, yet we’re always surprised and overwhelmed with gratitude). Cringing when Jeff defended the infallible honor of our athletes with every blow of the whistle. Dr. Charlene Thomas grading our humanities exams within 4 minutes of us taking them. These are blessings. Sunrise hikes on Roan Mountain. Theater performances that made me laugh and cry and forced me to evaluate every part of my life and belief system. Watching Brad Wallace chase a dog through here in the middle of chapel. It’s funny what God’s blessings sometimes end up looking like.

Most of us are getting ready to head out into a world of unknown. Where we’ll have to come up with our own food. Where if we skip work it’ll mean more than just a mark on the attendance sheet. Where when our light goes out or our shower leaks or our living space becomes a home for stink bugs we won’t be able to just tell our RA and have Bruce come and fix it the next day for free. Where our responsibilities will be much greater than writing a paper or making sure we go to enough chapels. Where we’ll be able to park anywhere we want. For the first time in many of our lives, we’ll be entering into something that we can’t see the end of. It’s a time of beginnings with no set ends. It’s a big world of unknown.

But there is one thing that is known. Only one thing that is for certain. And that is our Jesus. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His mercies are new every morning. He is faithful and gracious and just and loving and jealous and oh so sovereign. And the truth of the goodness of who our Jesus is includes the continual presence of his blessings. They may not always seem like blessings, but his plans are perfect. Romans says, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love him, to those who are called according to His purpose.” If we commit to the Lord whatever we do, he will establish our plans (Proverbs 16:3). Whenever you are confused or full of joy or lonely or content or humbled, remember - it’s funny what God’s blessings sometimes end up looking like.