On Your Mark…
From Pastor Mark Rathe
june 2025
June!... it’s about dads- and grads!
June is an important month for transitions- dads and grads. My High School graduation, 1970, was a time of great change. Would I be drafted? Would I succeed in college? Would God have a life-partner for me? God had wild plans for me- (good thing I couldn’t see the future!) Later, when I became a new dad, life seemed so full of love, changes, and new bills! Now, as a four-time grandad, at 73 years old, life still has new chapters and new challenges. As a grad, and as a dad, the future can look scary- but also exciting! God uses these experiences to build our faith.
My point: grads and dads need our prayers. With all the gadgets and conveniences of 2025, it’s tougher than ever to enter the working world as a Christian grad. And it’s even tougher these days raising a family that honors our Heavenly Father- and pursues His way of life as described in Scripture. For that reason, grads, future dads, past dads, and grandads all need our prayers.
What a blessing to know that our Heavenly Father (who never makes a mistake in relationships!) promises to guide the steps of grads and dads (“…you reveal the path of life to me…Ps 16:11). God is the Perfect Father. "As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him," Psalm 103:13 God personifies good fathering—He is loving, forgiving, and ever-present. He helps grads and dads like no one else can- all through life’s stages.
Life is full of next-step ‘graduations’ isn’t it? I recently had 2 friends- one a very close family member- pass away. The widow told me that her husband (my friend) had ‘graduated’ to Heaven. Was her heart grieving? Of course. But in her head, she knew that he had ‘graduated’- he had finished his ‘schooling’ here on Earth and was now receiving the Ultimate-Graduation-Celebration-Party being thrown for him with the Ultimate Father in Heaven. (Luke 15:7, 1 Thes 4:13-17)
Closing thought: Dads and grads, here’s a life-target to shoot for- check out Psalm 15- especially the last line… ‘they will not be shaken…” And remember: there are no perfect dads- or perfect grads. Don’t expect perfection! All of us are sinners, aren’t we? If you’ve lost your way with God, He is ready to receive you as His child and help you in your next stage of life, whatever it is. Just as Jesus described the father running to his prodigal son, so our Heavenly Father will run to you, throw his arms around you, and welcome you into His Family. If you’re not yet a member of God’s family, I invite you to say this simple prayer: Heavenly Father, I admit that I am a sinner. I believe you exist and you sent Jesus, Your Son, to die for me. I receive your love and forgiveness. Reveal yourself to me. I accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Amen Let me know if you prayed that prayer for the first time. Welcome to God’s family!
Congrats to all dads and grads!, And join us for worship at CCC 10:30 every Sunday!
Pastor Mark