Exam Results Out
It’s been a wet and miserable July and if a visitor were to land in Northern Ireland, they would struggle to know this is our summer. There is of course a very clear reason for believing we are in the middle of summer, A-level, AS and GCSE exam results are out.
A grade does not define us
When the envelops are opened it’s important that we understand something of where we get our value. Regardless of what grade appears on our results it does not define us.
Paul writing in Colossians said this:
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Colossians 3: 1-4
The most important thing that can be said about us, is not what grade we get in any given exam, but where our hearts are set, things above where Christ is.
What does define us
The ultimate qualification we ought to seek is the glory that will be revealed in us when Christ returns.
This glory is the salvation of our souls, it is receiving all Christ has done for us on the cross and through his resurrection. This is given to us, not because of an ‘A’ grade, or a grade ‘9’ or whatever else we might get… it is not earned, we don’t revise for it, we’re not tested to see if we are worthy of it. Christ gives to us freely, through faith; we receive this grace when we admit we cannot earn it ourselves and so place all of our hope and trust in Christ.
This is what defines us, this is the only thing in our lives that will have eternal significance.
Set your hearts on things above
To all who get the results they hoped for we offer our congratulations. To those who might be disappointed we offer our sympathies and will do all we can to help you get to where you want to go. But to everyone we say, since you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is… remember the one thing that will last through eternity, Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.