Your Alpha to Omega: What to do after Graduation

Rev. George F. Borghardt III

When you were little, your mom and dad taught you a song. My parents taught me the same one. And after you learned this song, you knew your ABCs.

Later, you learned how to recognize letters and how combinations of letters formed words. You learned to read groups of words, and books, more books, and bigger books. For twelve long years, you practiced using those letters that Mom and Dad first taught you so long ago.

Now school is coming to an end, and it’s time to decide what to do with all those good things that the Lord put into you. Do you continue learning more about those letters and how to use them, or do you put those letters to good use in a job? Do you do both? What would Jesus want you to do?

Those ABCs you learned can help us answer that. Jesus learned His alphabet just like you learned yours. Well, He probably didn’t learn His ABCs in a song. His parents probably taught Jesus His alpha, beta, and gammas. The Greek alphabet that Jesus would’ve learned is similar to ours, but doesn’t end in Z but in the little letter omega.

Jesus knew His alphabet so well that three times in the Book of Revelation He says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.” Three times He reminds us that He is the beginning of all things and the end of all things. He’s the A, and He’s the Z.

But what does Jesus want you to do? I don’ t know. You shouldn’t worry about that either. That’s the last thing Jesus wants you to worry about. He doesn’t want you to be afraid, to worry, or to fret about the future. He has died for you. He has taken upon Himself every last thing that could ever make you afraid. He has paid for your sin. He died your death. And the power of the devil? He even defeated the devil on the cross.

His cross shines through everything in your life— even your life after graduation. He is the beginning. He is the end. He’s every letter in between too. Every step you take is taken as one who bears His name that was put on you in Baptism. He’s right there. He’s walked those steps for you. He’s lived your life and even died the death that your life deserved. He is, He was, and is to come.

So whatever you do, you do as one for whom Christ has died. Go to school! He’s your Lord there. Go to work! He’s your Lord in the workplace too. If you were to decide to fish every day for the rest of your life, He’d be with you. That’s what your Baptism says.

Sure, you could go and turn from Him and decide to waste your life. You can walk away and see how it goes for you on your own. It might go well for a bit. But in the end, when Omega comes, you will find that running from Him will only get what you deserve.

But the Alpha and Omega will run after you. He has a way of doing that. I ran from Him, and He was faithful to His Name. He’s faithful to His Name put on you too. Don’t you see the freedom that you have in Christ? In Christ you are truly free to do whatever you want to do. He put His Name on you in Baptism, and He’s with you. Whatever you choose, whatever you do, wherever you go, whenever you get around to it, He’s there with His forgiveness and eternal life.

So pray as one who has the ear of God. He can’t wait to hear and answer. He won’t tell you what to do. You are too free for Him to require you to do something. But He will give you great comfort, reminding you over and over again that no matter what you decide, you are free.

Being that free means that you don’t have to decide all by yourself what you are going to do with the rest of your life. God has surrounded you with answers. What do Mom and Dad say? They are far more helpful in your life than just teaching you about the ABCs. God gave them to you to help you with these decisions. That’s what they are for!

Talk to your pastor too. You probably wouldn’t live somewhere without electricity. No way. You need to plug stuff in. In the same way, you certainly don’t want to go somewhere where you won’t hear the Word of God. You need to be refreshed. You are going to need to receive the Sacrament in this bold new life you are going to live! Remember, you are free. Free to do whatever you want to do. Free to consider others as more important than yourself and to find ways to serve them. And if you succeed, you are free. What if you fail and fall on your face? You are still free—free to pick yourself up and start all over again.

The cross says that Christ is your Alpha and Omega, in good and bad, in successes and failures, in good times and bad times. He’s working all the time to take all the bad stuff and make it good for you and to help you see and cherish the good things that He has given you.

So what will you do? That’s up to you! Take comfort in Jesus’ Alpha and Omega love that He has for you. For Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega of whatever you do after graduation. He’s the beginning and the end of today, tomorrow, and the rest of your life.

Rev. George F. Borghardt III is the assistant pastor of St. Mark Lutheran Church in Conroe,Texas and a member of the editorial board of Higher Things. His email address is revborghardt@ sanctus.org. Check out his blog at http://blog.higherthings.org/ borghardt/.