Yesterday, I went to Auburn University's graduation. One of my close friends was graduating so I decided to sit through 2 hours of recognition and rewards. As I sat there with hundreds of graduates before me, my mind was going ninety to nothing in thoughts. One of the most significant things I could think of was this:Sitting with 2 other graduates of Auburn and knowing some of their adventures, I realized one thing we all have in common. During college, we seem to forget the bigger picture. My two friends beside me, my friend graduating, the hundreds of graduates, and myself have all been in nights of chaos where we let uncertainty overcome reason. Those nights consist of thoughts like these: Will I ever get this paper finished on time? What the heck am I going to do about this test I had no clue about? Should I even go to class? What will my parents think when I bring home another D? How in the world am I supposed to know what major to choose? Will I ever use my major? Will I ever even get a job in the major I chose? Does school really matter? Why does it matter? I hate school. I hate college. I hate work. I hate studying. I hate class. I hate this professor.... you know what I mean.
In life, these thoughts can be all too familiar as well: What is the point of life? Why do I do good to others and in return get nothing? Why is it so hard for me? What is the meaning of life? Why do I feel so alone? Does anybody love me? Will I ever find a mate? Will I ever get a slow day to just rewind and relax? What am I going to do with my life? Do I really love this person? Why do these people hurt me so much? Why do I look this way? How could anyone love me? So many thoughts that in the situation make life seem so hard and so pointless... right?
All those graduates have surrounded themselves with those endless question-asking nights yet, look where they are now. They are graduating! They are at the day they have been waiting for for four or more years. The day when they will march up to their teacher and receive a long awaited award for their achievements. The day is here and nothing can stop them now! No hard test, no eternal working paper, no horrible professor... they made it! The smiles on each of the graduates reflects the priceless feeling inside of achievement-They have reached their BIGGER PICTURE.
Let's tie life into this-What is our bigger picture? What day will we walk up to the stage and receive an award from our teacher that no insecurity, fear, reason, rejection, misunderstanding, mistake, failure, weakness, embarrassment, sickness, sin, pain, ignorance, abandonment, insignificant, accusing, or bankrupt thoughts can stop us? What is the point of life? What is our bigger picture?
Louie Giglio told of this at the Passion tour in Atlanta in April-
You are like a match that when lit is on fire for 5 seconds and then is simply just left with a black stick. But, if your fire is tossed into the fire of the Lord, it will be a part of the flame of the Trinity, the flame to Heaven, the flame that impacts the nations, the flame that will burn FOREVER in Heaven.
Jesus told of this Bigger Picture in John 14-
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."
2 Peter 3:8-
"With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day."
OUR BIGGER PICTURE:
Eternity. Every day on this Earth we should be comforted in the fact that we have a Savior who loves us so much and gives us the opportunity to be a part of the bigger picture. We have our numbered days to look forward to the day when we meet Jesus Christ face to face. So in Earth, each day we are to know him more-to give Him glory with the days that He has given to us. Any day that is hard, stressful, or meaningless to us is just one day, one part in the bigger picture of eternity. So, just as those graduates were sitting in chairs in the coliseum yesterday, we too will all wait in Heaven. We will march up to the stage where we will see our teacher, Jesus. As we walk up to Him, all the hard times and sufferings will be rewarded in our diploma that reads, "Well done my good and faithful servant." We will get to meet our teacher face to face and live in an eternity free of pain.
Be Encouraged that we have a BIGGER picture.
Further thoughts- These lyrics by Sara Groves hit perfectly on this:
