They say that high school is where you find yourself. A place where you discover who you really are. A place where your surroundings shape you and change you. In my experience, I would say that is true. However, to find myself, to find my purpose, and to find my identity, I had to find the one who created me, who destined my purpose, and who identified me. In high school, I found Jesus. My creator, my savior, and my best friend.
Legacy. That is the word that I wanted to create and leave in my four years in high school. It’s what I strove for. I wanted to be remembered. I wanted to leave an impact. A life worth imitating. The truth is, it’s not about me. We aren’t called to be imitators of men but rather imitators of God. Little did I realize that the legacy worth leaving behind was already created. The legacy I longed to gift was far greater than I could ever give. So I give up my legacy. I hope that as I leave Lovejoy High School, I will be forgotten so that the name which is above every name will be glorified. I must go low so that the King remains seated on His throne. I abandon my legacy. The legacy I leave with you is the legacy of Jesus Christ.
If you didn’t already know, this pretty awesome guy called Jesus came to the earth 2000 years ago, died on a rugged cross, and rose again so that you could spend eternity with Him. The crazy part, if you were the only person on this earth, He would still come down just for you, suffer a brutal death just for you, and rise again just for you. I know Bruno Mars said he would die for you, but Jesus actually did. That’s just how much He loves you. He gave every single drop of His blood just so that you could be welcomed into His kingdom forever. He calls you His greatest creation. He says that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. He calls you His friend, and He is desperately in love with you. How sweet it is to find someone who will run after you. A relationship that pulls at your heart and yearns for your attention. That’s exactly what a relationship with Jesus is like. He wants you.
If you feel lost, He promises to be a lamp to your feet and a light to your path. If you feel weak, He says that His joy will be your strength. If you feel anxious, He says that He will give you a peace that surpasses all understanding. If you don’t know your purpose, He says that you are the light of the world. If you feel like you’ll never be enough, He looks at all His creation and says that you are more valuable than anything on the earth. He is a provider, a healer, a purifier, a refuge, a guide, and a good, good Father.
I learned that I truly would not be able to find myself without finding the Father, I would not be able to walk in my purpose and destiny without seeking Him first, I would not have obtained success if I did not put His ways before my own, I would have missed out on all that I was created to be. The thing is, He was always there. He was always knocking and a simple yes let Him in. He says that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. No good work that I could ever do could save me, no pure lifestyle could ever set me free, no pastor, parent, or friend could ever do it for me, but one word, one prayer, the shifting of my heart, and the faith to say yes to Him saved my life, and it can save yours too. You can choose. You don’t have to be alone, afraid, confused, hurt, lost, and neglected, because there is a free gift waiting for you to unwrap. Choose Jesus, and you will never turn back.
I know you might be skeptical. I know you might not understand what the whole big deal is with this Jesus thing. You might be scared to even try. You might just not even know where to start. Let me give you the secret formula. Are you ready? Here it is. Just say yes. Yup, that’s it. Just say yes to Jesus. Tell Him that you want to follow Him and watch how he transforms you from the inside out. I promise it will be the best decision of your life. So if you do decide to say yes (which I hope you do), buckle up. Get ready for endless joy, incomprehensible peace, overflowing love, increase of wisdom, and find a life that’s worth living.
