In 2004 my wife,
Kathy, and I had a conversation on which we can now look back with a
smile. She had to be at work before 7 a.m.
for a 12 hour shift. Therefore, she let
me know that I was to be quiet during the night and not to wake her up. Kathy needed to be rested to go to work. However, in the middle of the night I woke up
in pain. After taking some antacids I
felt a little better, but then ended up on the floor in pain again. I knew I wasn’t supposed to wake Kathy, so I
got in my car and drove to the hospital.
It turns out I was having a gall bladder attack. But, when Kathy woke up and I wasn’t there
she was worried. When I got home we
talked about my (ahem) behavior. Kathy expressed
her concern that I left without telling her.
I do understand.
Our
conversation went something like this. I
said, “So I wasn’t supposed to wake you, right?” She replied, “Yes.” I continued, “I did what you asked or told
me, right?” Again, her reply was, “Yes!” “So,” I said, “When I’m wrong, I’m
wrong. But when I’m right I’m wrong
too?” Kathy laughed and said, “Your job
isn’t to be right, it’s to say you’re sorry.
And, you can’t just say it with your lips, you need to mean it with your
heart.” We laughed. Thankfully, we have been able to laugh
throughout our marriage. But, Kathy’s
words set a pretty difficult standard. When
I take Kathy’s words, not just tongue in cheek, but as what they actually say,
doing what is right is not enough. My
heart also needs to be in the right place.
The
Gospel Lesson assigned in many Christian Churches for this coming Sunday is
from Mark 7:1-13 Jesus seeks to teach
this lesson about loving God with one’s heart to the religious leaders of the
day. When these leaders criticize Jesus,
he quotes Isaiah, and says, beginning in verse 6. "Isaiah was right when he prophesied
about you hypocrites; as it is written: "'These people honor me with their
lips, but their hearts are far from me. 7 They worship me in vain; their
teachings are but rules taught by men.' As God, Jesus is concerned, not
just about outward actions of faith or religion. Jesus is also concerned for the heart of His people.
These
religious leaders were trying their best to serve God with their actions. But, even when their actions were right,
their hearts were often self-serving, grumbling, rebellious, and sinful. Actually, their actions were not always
perfect either. Their outward keeping of
the law got in the way of serving God with their hearts. Jesus’ teaching to the religious leader, like
Kathy’s words to me, are nothing new. In
Deuteronomy 6, God teaches, 4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is
one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and
with all your strength. God tells
the people, not just to serve Him, but to love him with all their heart, soul,
and strength. They are to love Him with
their whole being!
God
teaches us the same lesson. Our Lord doesn’t
just want us to say the right thing. He
doesn’t just want us to do the right thing.
He wants our heart to know Him as our Creator, as our Father, and as our
Savior. God want us to serve and love
Him with all our hearts, with all our being. But, if the hearts of the
religious leaders of Jesus’ day were far from Him, how about us?
This
week Kathy and I celebrate our 44th anniversary. We were married in Memphis, TN, at 3:00 p.m. on
August 20, 1977. I can tell you that Kathy
is a greater blessing than I ever expected.
But, no marriage is perfect, because no individual person is without
sin. In fact, many stay away from
marriage all together because of the struggles they have seen other have.
When people see the struggles of God’s people, they can and do shy away from a relation of the heart with God. Sometimes those who don’t know God see those who say they know God claim to have all the answers. Sometimes, God’s people can be legalistic and come across as arrogant and self-righteous, like the religious leaders of Jesus' day. However, such religion is dangerous. Such behavior denies our own weakness and failure, and trusts our own actions. Trusting self rather than God is a problem. In trusting our own actions we reject the love of God. Then, we do not love God with our heart, we love ourselves.
Jesus
knew the hearts of the religious leaders of His day, and their failures.
Ultimately, that is why Jesus came to this earth because people were weak, and
selfish, and resentful, and sinful. Jesus knew their hearts and He came to
earth in spite of their hardness. He
came to save them. When someone knows
our weaknesses and failings and still reaches out in love, that changes hearts.
God knows our
rebellion, and He sent His son. Jesus
knows our sin, and died to pay for that sin.
God knows our failure, and He calls us to trust Jesus dying, and to
receive His forgiveness. Our Lord knows the darkness of our hearts, but He offers
eternal life, by grace, through faith in Jesus. When we deserve God’s
punishment, but He gives us grace, and mercy, and life, doesn’t that change
your heart and make you want to love Him with all that you are? You see, God’s undeserved love changes hearts
from pride to thanks and love.
When a husband is
young he might think he has something to offer his new bride. Maybe I felt that way. But, as I have grown older I have become exceedingly
thankful for the faithful, undeserved love of my wife, Kathy. Love changes hearts. Doesn’t God’s undeserved, sacrificial love for
you, in Jesus, change your heart? Doesn’t God’s undeserved love change your
heart so that you want to serve and obey Him, not only in outward actions, but with a heart and life full of love for Him?
A Child of God, Praying
the God’s Love Continues to Change My Heart,
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. Here are a couple of pictures
from our wedding day! https://photos.app.goo.gl/pv4nVEkNm7FBGyJ49
P.P.S. Lutheran Hour Rally - The
Speaker of the Lutheran Hour, Rev. Dr.
Michael Zeigler, will be coming to Anchorage for a Lutheran Hour Rally on Thursday, August 26th. The festivities
begin with supper at 5:30 pm followed by the Rally at 6:30 pm, and a coffee
hour at 7:30 pm. The cost of the meal is $15/individual, $25/couple, $10/ child
6-12 (children under 6 are free). Contact Anchorage Lutheran Church to register
for the supper: 907-272-5323. The registration deadline is August 23rd.
(I am supposed to take Pastor Ziegler, and LHM Board
Members, fishing on Wednesday, August 25.)
P.P.P.S. We have
started picking more produce from our garden. We could pick much more we, but just can’t eat
it all. https://photos.app.goo.gl/JkKqM2PZRNDZoxGh8
P.P.P.P.S. MANY
people ask me to take them fishing. The
best fishing in our area occurs when the silver salmon start running. From Thursday, August 12, to Monday, August
16, I took people fishing on 4 trips in 5 days.
Here are some pictures
·
Thursday, August 12, with Pastor Craig Schultz,
Pastor Tony Schultz, and Gerry Zellar. https://photos.app.goo.gl/iyTj5fVgRhKrrXee8
·
Friday, August 13, with St. John DCE, Ethan
Mirly. https://photos.app.goo.gl/9NQnuNmyPmBufAHe7
·
Saturday, August 14, with St. John member,
Kyndle Kirby, and boyfriend, Gabe. https://photos.app.goo.gl/MXhBGwJGp2QAv9a26
·
Monday, August 16, with Kym Miller. https://photos.app.goo.gl/JZRSpBJEvJw17fx77
*****
ABOUT THIS DEVOTION - I retired at
the end of August 2019 from serving as senior pastor of St. John Lutheran
Church in Palmer, AK. I was writing a weekly devotion previously
entitled, "Thoughts from the Pastor." When I retired
many asked me to continue writing these devotions. So I have continued
writing. However, with life's changes I now call this weekly devotion "Journeys
Through Life as a Child of God." Since I am no longer senior
pastor at St. John, I felt it right to only send this message to those who
asked to receive it. (Though I am now serving again part-time at St. John
as assistant to the pastor.)
So, if you stopped receiving these devotions and wondered why, now you
understand. And, if you are now receiving these devotions and do not wish
to receive them, please let me know, and I’ll gladly remove your name from my
distribution list. My e-mail address is jonrock53@mtaonline.net.
My prayer is that these devotions help each of you in your daily walk with our
Lord, Jesus.
*******
Jonathan Rockey
Child of God
Husband, Father,
Son, Grandfather
Pastor Emeritus,
St. John Lutheran Church
E-Mail: jonrock53@mtaonline.net
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