Hello, my name is . . .

One of the graduates began their speech last Tuesday night with these words from Matthew West's song: "Hello, my name is Child of the One True King."  Fittingly, UGM's 2013 Graduation Celebration ended with those same words. If you haven't heard the song before, it's a great way to spend 4 minutes. And, if you're like me, the words will be popping into your head for weeks to come.  

"I am no longer defined by all the wreckage behind...What love the Father has lavished upon us that we should be called his children. I am a child of the One True King."

Eighteen men and women stood before a crowd of over 500 at Fourth Memorial Church and proclaimed that they are not who they once were - depressed, broken, hopeless, addicted, lost - because God has changed them. As I sat there listening (and clapping and crying), I wasn't really struck by the transformation that had taken place in their lives (although, of course, that was super cool) or how much they had overcome (again, very cool). What struck me was how much we had in common.

Their hope is my hope. Their salvation is my salvation. The God to whom they are clinging is the God to whom I am clinging. The One who has forgiven them is the One who has forgiven me.

As the song states, these graduates are not defined by the wreckage of their past mistakes; neither are they defined by their successes - new jobs, GPAs, volunteer work, paychecks, possessions or performance. And neither am I.

We are - together - children of the One True King. We stand naked before him, completely dependent upon the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. When God the Father looks at us, he sees Jesus, and his heart overflows with love.

We are children of the One True King.

Please join us in praying for these men and women using the prayer requests they have provided.

~Barbara Comito, UGM staff writer