23 May A prayer for nate

This is a prayer for Nate. I don’t know Nate. All I know is that Nate soon will be a college graduate. How do I know this? Because I recently jogged past a house with a small yard sign that read: “Congratulations Nate, 2022 graduate (of a local college). As I jogged the rest of my route, Nate, and all the Nates out there, were much on my mind. I graduated from college (undergrad) in 1983. So, I thought about the past 39 years of my life and the Spirit inspired me to pray for the next 39 years for Nate. Here goes:

Heavenly Father, I lift Nate up to you. As he celebrates this accomplishment and looks excitedly to the future, I pray that Nate begins his journey by doing something I did not: accepting your Son Jesus as his Lord and Savior (If he hasn’t already). By doing this, I pray that Nate and every college grad would then treasure Your Word in their hearts, thereby avoiding the mistakes I made. Because then, unlike me, they will not worship the false idols of:

• Money: For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:10 (NIV). I pray, Father, that Nate notices that money is not the root of all kinds of evil but the love of it is.
• The Approval of Others: For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10. Father, let Nate and all the other Nates see that the pursuit of the acceptance/approval of people is just an empty pursuit as the pursuit of more and more money.
• Putting Self Before Others: Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26-28 (NIV). Father, let Nate follow your Son’s example of leading by serving.

There are more, of course, Father, but this would give Nate and all the Nates out there a tremendous start; the kind of start I deprived myself of. Let them know that pride is the root of sin that produces all the toxic fruit of sin.

Father, let them see that they can love and follow You, yet still enjoy the things You blessed us with in Your Creation. Let them see that You are the sole provider of true joy and peace. Give them strength if they refuse to accept You because they fear it will come at the cost of not being accepted by others.

Most importantly, Father, I pray that they don’t reject You because they see You as some type of cosmic party pooper the way I rejected you back then. And let your Word be the light that guides them on their journey: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. II Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV).

Let them be the light for the next generation, the light that points to You. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

-Pastor Jerry Bader-