Dear Fellow Children of God,
Have you ever spent time “people
watching?” As Kathy, and Mary, and I
have been traveling, we have visited some big cities including Dublin,
Edinburgh, Paris, and London. We have
traveled by plane, by ship, by train, by bus, and by Uber. We have encountered people from all over the
world speaking numerous languages. I
believe that watching the faces of the people we have encountered tells their
stories, at least in part.
On Monday, June 27, I watched a
grandmother, a mother, and a daughter walking the streets of London. Actually, we were on a bus to catch a train,
or the tube, so that we could visit the sites of London. They were walking the same route as our bus, and
they ended up sitting on the same train on which we traveled. The face of the mother caught my attention
first. She seemed angry, yet
determined. If I read her face
correctly, she had been hurt by someone, or something, and had not yet
forgotten the hurt. But, she was
determined to continue living, in spite of her hurt.
The grandmother, I believe the mom
or grandmother, had a different look.
She appeared sad and weary.
Perhaps she had encountered her own difficulties in life. Yet I also
believe she was sad for her daughter’s trials. Now, I am just reading into what
I saw. I would like to have sat down with them and listened. But, you know there are 9 million people in
London, each with a story.
Interestingly, the young daughter
or granddaughter in this trio, who appeared to be about 7 or 8 years old,
seemed very happy. In watching, I
believe that she was loved by her mother and her grandmother and perhaps didn’t
know of the struggles of her family. But,
in the faces of the older of the two women I could see a need for someone who truly
cared for them.
On the same train on Monday I
watched another mother and her teenage daughter. The daughter was a person with downs
syndrome. But, mom appeared at
peace. I could see love in the mother’s face. The daughter appeared inquisitive, yet happy.
On our planes and on our ship, on the
streets of Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, Paris, and London, I have watched many
people and read many faces. Some look
beaten down, tired, and full of despair.
But others appear defiant, and look willing for a challenge or a fight. Some look self assured – proud and arrogant even. Those in families often appear happy, and
ready for the adventures of life to come.
But, we have also seen couples fighting and shouting at one
another. Their faces revealed anger,
hatred even. Every face seems to have a
story.
As I watched so many people, I could
not help but think of the words of Jesus in Matthew. First, the Scripture reveals Jesus’ concern
for people who are troubled by life. Listen to what God’s Word says. “35 Jesus went through all the towns
and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the
kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he
had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep
without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9::35-36) I saw “harassed and helpless people” as I visited
the towns and villages and watched those passing me. Jesus cares for those people!
Yet, listen to more words of Jesus
in Matthew 11. "Come to me, all you who are
weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and
learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for
your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew
11:28-29) Every one of the people I
watched is important to our Lord. He
knows their burdens, their hearts, their hurts.
Jesus knows their pride and their sin.
For every one of these people, some who feel that no one in this life cares
for them, some who feel that life is nothing but pain, for each of them JESUS
HAS COMPASSION AND LOVE. In fact, Jesus
has so much compassion that He came to earth and took on our burdens, and our
suffering. Jesus cares so much He paid
the price of the sin which causes our struggles. Jesus cares so much that he calls us to
Himself so that HE can give us His love, His care, and so that He can give us
life!
The verses in Matthew 9 about Jesus’
compassion teach us what is on His heart, but not necessarily what Jesus spoke
to His disciples. Yet, listen to Jesus actual
words to His disciples about those who were “harassed and helpless, like sheep
without a shepherd.” 37 Then he said to his disciples,
"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the
harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." (Matthew 9:27-28) Jesus wants His children to share His care
and His love with those who are “harassed and helpless!”
We in Alaska are incredibly
blessed. We live in an enormous state
with incredible beauty, but also a state which is sparsely populated. We can enjoy the blessings of God’s creation
as perhaps no one else on earth. However,
in our sparse state and our blessed lives, we can forget that there are almost
8 billion people in the world, people who are sheep of our Lord needing His
love and care and salvation. It can be
easy to forget the “harassed and helpless” to whom Jesus says, “Come unto me.”
Do you see the stories in the faces
around you? Are you willing to pray for
workers in the harvest so these people learn of God’s love in Jesus? Are you personally willing to share the love
of Jesus with others who are “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a
shepherd?”
A Child of God, Thankful That Jesus
Cares for All the Lost Sheep of the World!
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. As I mentioned last week Kathy and Mary and I
are traveling in the British Isles on a cruise.
Both Kathy and I have ancestors from Ireland. Also, we are celebrating Kathy’s recent last
day of work at MSRMC after 45 years of nursing, and 31 at MSRMC. And, Kathy and
I are celebrating our 45th wedding anniversary coming up this
August.
We are now off the
cruise and in London. Here are some
pictures from the last days of our cruise, and from London.
LAST
WEEK’S PICTURES!
· From our travel to
London and Southampton, UK, via Frankfurt. https://photos.app.goo.gl/zysJUbeDah8TZhym9
· From our travel in
Portland and a trip to Corfe Castle: https://photos.app.goo.gl/redtToSWhbi8Tm4SA
· Here are Pictures
from Guernsey. https://photos.app.goo.gl/JHppMd2GCwymW1Fq6
· Here are some
pictures from Cobh and Cork, Ireland. https://photos.app.goo.gl/Dq429fhdvDye9xeV6
· Here are pictures
from Dublin, Ireland. https://photos.app.goo.gl/eZBPWqaZen7LPpsb8
· Here are pictures
from Belfast, Northern Ireland. https://photos.app.goo.gl/Q5CDRCaH53GpissJ8
· Here are pictures
from Greenock / Glasgow, Scotland. https://photos.app.goo.gl/NU9mwLuDprwdwcaJ7
THIS WEEK’S
PICTURES!
· Here are pictures
from Invergordon, Battle of Collodun, Loch Ness, Scotland, and Urquhart Castle.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/1dfctARpuZyk9BUf8
· Here are some
pictures from Edinburgh, St. Andrews, and Glamis castle. https://photos.app.goo.gl/g5nACPFMtdPwn1h38
· Here are pictures
from Paris. https://photos.app.goo.gl/qkLJxRFUxdEnuFbC7
· We became friends
with those who took care of us on our ship, especially the wait staff! https://photos.app.goo.gl/F1NXLSZeAPNuuef38
· Here are some
pictures from a trip through the “New Forest” (from the time of William the
Conqueror) and a visit to Stonehenge. https://photos.app.goo.gl/2ijSCWVLkbB7YkS89
· On June 27 we took
a bus tour of London, with a couple of stops.
Here are pictures of Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the
Guard. Notice the 4 anthems from the
Palace Musicians! https://photos.app.goo.gl/2ijSCWVLkbB7YkS89
· Here are some
pictures from a Big Bus – Hop on, Hop Off Bus – Tour. https://photos.app.goo.gl/v9zKkDTr96DzG6qt9
· Tuesday was an
especially full day in London.
o
We
took a River Cruise on the Thames. Here
are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/T5xU6LnmVp4e9nNb8
o
We
visited the British Museum – AMAZING!
Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/hZqRSYBcvb7gFbUf9
o
We
attended the play, “My Fair Lady” at the London Coliseum. Tickets were VERY Reasonable. Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/ukzrtHUFQS1FpZWv7
Just a few more pictures to come
next week. J
*****
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
Emeritus, St. John Lutheran
Church
E-Mail: jonrock53@mtaonline.net
“1 John 3:1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we
should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1a)
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