APRIL 2018
THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
Posted by: District Evangelist Graham Stanford

We are approaching a very special time of year for our children who have reached the age of confirmation.  The confirmation service is one which encompasses elements of the past, present, and future.

The past:
Most have completed ten years of Sunday School and Religious Instruction classes, and participated in eighteen months of Confirmation Instruction. They have attended numerous services and received insight from many for use upon their walk of faith. The vow they make is built upon the many years of teaching from their parents, Sunday School and Religious Instruction teachers, their Confirmation teachers, their ministers, and the congregation. The vow they state is:

“I renounce Satan and all his work and ways, and surrender myself to You, O triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in belief, obedience, and the earnest resolution to remain faithful to you until my end. Amen.”  

For those of us who were confirmed, it serves as a reminder of the vow we once made.

The present:
Today our confirmands will state their confirmation vow, commit themselves in faithfulness to God, and receive a blessing from our heavenly Father via the officiant. They now bear full spiritual responsibility for all they will do. They commit to fight evil and try their best to align their lives with the gospel.

The future:
The blessing they have received will provide strength in their spiritual lives going forward.  Through utilizing God’s strength, the grace of our Redeemer, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they will be able to keep their vow and fulfill our motto for 2018: “Faithful to Christ”.  The goal of our faith remains preparing for the return of Christ.

Faithful to Christ in keeping our promises. The confirmands will make their promise to the Lord and will try to profess God in word and deed. It is good for all of us to review the promises we have made to the Lord, whether through Holy Baptism, Holy Sealing, our confirmation day, or when we said yes to a ministry or spiritual responsibility. Have we been faithful to Christ in word and deed? It remains our responsibility to ponder over our own faithfulness to the Lord and earnestly strive to remain faithful.

Let us wish the very best for our confirmands on their special day. Let us also help them keep their vow via positive reinforcement in conversations with them, through supportive prayers, mentoring through our deeds, and by helping them through the situations they face. Let us walk our path of faith with them in preparation for the return of Christ.

 

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