On Sunday we blessed the children as they started a new year at school. A whole year since we did this last, and now we all stop to breathe and consider a whole school year ahead. For many of us, that thought can be quite daunting. A school day can be full enough of struggles, and a whole year of them? Yeesh. Thankfully we have a God who understands the whole breadth of human existence and struggles, including in fact the 21st century school year.
For the children who worry that they will be lonely, that other children may not be interested in what they want to do:
Jesus spent (at least part of) his family holiday hanging out with teachers rather that His peers (Luke 2:41-49)
May Jesus’ love and presence comfort you.
For the parents facing the enormous and mundane task of taking time each busy morning to pack school lunches and each busy evening to get dinner on the table and all the while dealing with squabbling siblings:
Jesus has to take time out of his teaching to deal with the enormous and mundane task of feeding a casual five thousand people (Luke 9:10-17) and squabbling disciples (Luke 9:46).
May the Lord’s patience and strength restore you when you need.
For all counsellors, therapists, teachers and parents advocating tirelessly for the children they care for to get the support and attention they require:
Jesus advocated for the rights of children near him to be recognised, to be listened to, to be involved (Matthew 19:14).
May God’s compassion and wisdom be renewed in you day by day.
For the teachers and workers whose lunch breaks and evenings and weekends are often crowded out by needing to see students, speak to parents, plan lessons and mark papers:
Remember that time Jesus tried to sail away from the crowd on a boat and have a sleep, only to be woken again by his flock needing his care? (Luke 8:22-25)
May the Spirit’s peace and life breath in to you.
And to the countless other people in the countless other struggles:
May we all know Christ is with us.
Peace,
Lucy
Emailed to Sanctuary on 5 February 2020 © Sanctuary, 2020. Photo by kyo azuma on Unsplash.
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