A Different Kind of Commission

Commissioning Prayer

Pepperdine is a different kind of place to study law than most, as evidenced by the annual Commissioning Ceremony that takes place for those graduates who attend the weekly Bible study at the Gash home each week.  I was heartbroken that my responsibilities in Uganda necessitated my absence from this culminating event.  My wife, Joline, was kind enough, however, to read for these graduates a few words I prepared for this occasion:

“While my body is in Uganda, my heart is with you right here, right now. I eagerly await my return to Pepperdine to celebrate with you in person, your graduation.

I will swell with pride and emotion as Dean Sturgeon reads your name in the book of graduation before you walk across the stage. I will do my best not to cry, but no promises.

I am so proud of you.

As you know, God has been reading your name in the book of life, and (as Bob Goff is fond of saying) Jesus is carrying a picture of you around in his wallet. He is quite proud of you as well.

But not for graduating from law school.

His pride in you is because of your steadfastness in the face of hardship, your faithfulness in the face of fear, and your love and support for the brothers and sisters here with you tonight as you walked this path together.

Over the course of your three years at Pepperdine, you have attended classes, briefed cases, written papers, presented arguments, and taken exams. Some of you liked law school. A few of you loved it. All of you have loved each other. You sang together, studied together, prayed together, played games together, walked beside each other, and at times, carried one another. Through it all, you have inspired your professors and you have shown your classmates what it looks like to follow Jesus in a community.

Over the course of this year on Wednesday nights, we have collectively pondered what it means to be powerful in Christ amidst our weakness. You have led worship, led prayers, led our thoughts, and led from your seats as the 1Ls and 2Ls watched your consistency and faithfulness. Some of you have excelled at the game of law school, and some of you have simply survived. But each of you in your own way has modeled perseverance and grace and joy in this journey.

Some of you have a clear vision of what the next step will be occupationally. Others are still waiting for God to reveal that. We pray that He will reveal that soon, but we also pray for patience as God unfolds His plan in His time.

But I do not believe that your first job, your second job, or your last job is your calling. The calling you have received is to live life overflowing with the joy that comes from being a child of God, a follower of Christ. You are a vessel, made by the hand of God, made in the image of God, made to reflect the love of the Son of God.

The context in which you live out this calling is but a backdrop for the content you pour into those around you.

My prayer for you as you receive this commission is:

That you, though hard pressed on every side by the stresses of your chosen profession, will not be crushed.

That though you are at times perplexed by the vagaries and ambiguities of the law, will not be in despair.

That though you may be persecuted for the stands you take, for the people you represent, for the God you serve, you will never feel abandoned.

And that even when you stumble in your cases, in your deals, in your relationships, and in your daily walk – when you feel struck down, that the Spirit of God that lives within you will never, ever be destroyed.

We will miss you, but a part of you will always be here among us each week we gather as law students, law professors, and brothers and sisters in Christ. Come back and see us often.”