Dear
Fellow Children of God,
In recent months I have been
thinking about and praying for congregations who are looking for a new permanent
pastor, or shepherd. Jesus tells us, “I am the
good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11).
Jesus is ultimately the one who guides, and protects, and cares for God’s
people, His sheep. His greatest care
comes as He lays down His life to forgive us and save us. However, the word “pastor” means shepherd. Jesus may be THE good shepherd, but he commands
Peter, “Feed My lambs. . . Tend my sheep
. . . Feed my sheep.” (John 21:15-17) Pastors are God’s plan to care for
His flock in this world. So, what
happens when a congregation, a flock of God’s people, are without a shepherd or
pastor?
My former congregation, St. John Lutheran in Palmer, Alaska, was without a
permanent pastor for 3 ½ years after I retired.
Thankfully, Pastor Jeremy Davis has been shepherding God’s people there
since January 2023. Since retirement,
when Kathy and I would visit family in Florida, we have attended the congregation
where I grew up in Gainesville, First Lutheran Church. But, this summer their pastor for the last 9+
years took a call to serve elsewhere.
They are now praying for and working to find a permanent shepherd. In addition, having lived in Alaska for 32
years, I have worked with many of the congregations there. On August 6 Pastor Dustin Atkinson of Star of
the North Lutheran Church in Kenai announced that he would be leaving to serve
in Colorado. I know and care for God’s
people in Kenai. They too are now in
need of a pastor. Now you know why “In recent months I have been thinking about and praying for
congregations who are looking for new permanent pastors, or shepherd.”
With this in mind, my devotional
Scripture readings on Wednesday, September 20, caught my eye. In 2 Chronicles 29 Hezekiah is seeking to
repair the temple and renew faithful worship in the kingdom of Israel. During Moses’ time God appointed the tribe of
Levi as priests and temple workers. So Hezekiah
calls them and directs them, “My sons,
do not now be negligent, for the LORD has chosen you to stand in his
presence, to minister to him and to be his ministers and make offerings to
him." (2 Chronicles 29:11) Hezekiah knows where to turn, to the people
whom GOD chose. In addition, the Levites
had reason to respond. Indeed history
shows God called them to serve and to bring God’s love to His people.
There is an important lesson in
this verse, a lesson churches and congregations often forget today. We rightfully go about the task of finding a
new shepherd with faithful concern for Jesus and His church. But, if we treat finding a new pastor as a ‘job
search,’ if we are asking, “Who are WE going to hire?” then we are forgetting
who chooses the shepherds. “the
LORD has chosen you to stand in his presence, to
minister to him and to be his ministers and make offerings to him."
If we take this verse (and many
others in Scripture) seriously, then our pastors are not the people WE
find. We want them to be the shepherd
GOD chose. This mean the process of
finding these new leaders calls for prayer, and faith, humility and patience. But, when God leads us to the person He
HIMSELF chose, well then we have the leader we need.
As an aside, like many other
jobs, professions, and areas of service, there is a shortage now of pastors,
and that shortage is growing worse. We
need committed Christians and young people to seriously consider serving God
and His church in ministry.
What a blessing to have The Good
Shepherd, who sees caring for the people of God so important that “The good
shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” What a blessing for
congregations to know that God has chosen a shepherd for them. That is why I am praying for these churches;
that they find the pastors God has already chosen for them.
A Child of God, Praying
for Faithful Shepherds for Christian Congregations!
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. I began working as Vacancy Pastor at First
Lutheran Church in Gainesville, Florida, on Wednesday, September 13. I will be working Tuesdays, Wednesdays,
Thursdays, and Sunday. So, I won’t be
fishing and golfing quite as much as during previous times of retirement.
P.P.S. However, I did still find time to go fishing
two times this past week.
·
On Friday, September 15, I went fishing for the
first time in Florida. I went to Orange Lake.
My first bite was a big one, a 21 ½” 6 pound largemouth bass. Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/3kjP3ZRVaGXXeq3j6
·
On Saturday, September 16, I went fishing on the
Suwannee River. It was really hot and I
didn’t get many bites. But, I saw gators
and caught 1 bass. Here are a few
pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/KjRF4qwFuCZ7xpQ8A
P.P.P.S. FOR YOUR CALENDAR in October 2024: I was asked to serve for 2 weeks at the
Wittenberg English Ministry in Wittenberg Germany. I tentatively agreed to serve there and to
lead worship October 17-31 (Reformation Day), 2024. MAYBE you want to come over to Germany at
that time??? J
*******
ABOUT THIS DEVOTION - I retired
at the end of August 2019 from serving as senior full-time 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. (Currently I am
serving as Vacancy Pastor for First Lutheran Church in Gainesville, FL.)
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
Vacancy Pastor, First Lutheran Church, Gainesville
Pastor
Emeritus, St. John Lutheran Church, Palmer, AK
“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 3:1 a)
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