10 Feb The Best Days
Read Matthew 28:16-20
Years ago, a soldier was on his way to report to duty and was tragically killed in a head-on collision. Last year, his parents gave a memorial gift in his name to Jacob’s Generation, the ministry that serves Freedom Outreach military children, youth and families. The funds helped provide sponsorships for youth to go to the European summer camps in June, 2022.
In the middle of camp week, the students were given an opportunity to hear about the volunteers that spend so much of their own time and personal finances to come serve there. They also had a moment to hear some of the stories of churches and individuals who support the camps. We call this, “Gratitude Time”. On the table at the back of the room were empty note cards. The students were encouraged to write personal notes of thanks to the people that make camp happen for them. This practice inspires the students to be giving people themselves, helps them appreciate and understand the effort that has been made on their behalf and makes them feel incredibly special that total strangers would care enough to serve and give so they can have a week of summer camp.
One Middle School boy made sure that the family who gave in honor of their soldier was mentioned. He wrote, “I am so sorry that you lost your son. Thank you so much for giving to the camps in his memory.” Then, at the bottom of the card, he wrote an aside, almost as a P.S.:
“Today was one of the best days of my life.”
What an honor to be able to be there for the best days. It is also an honor to be there for the worst days, the day that the parent leaves on extended deployment, the day that the High School student has to say goodbye to their friends and start over at a new school in an unknown place, even the day that the family gets tragic news that their soldier isn’t coming home again. These are the hard moments, the times we feel inadequate to shoulder such a burden or ease such a pain. In the midst, we must remember what an honor it is just to get to show up in people’s lives on the days that are the very worst but also on the very best days. It is the gift of being present.
Jesus ended His instructions that we call “The Great Commission” with these words: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Emmanuel is still God with us. He shows up every day, every moment and every time without fail. The gift of being present is one He never fails to give. We have the tenacity to keep showing up in people’s lives because He is already there, waiting for us to partner with Him in His ministry.
I sent the young mans note card to the family that gave. On the day they received it, they sent me a text message that the tears had not stopped flowing since they read the boy’s words. In memory of their son, they gave one of the best days to someone else’s son. We just got to show up somewhere in between and watch how God works. Those, for us, are the best days too.