Dear Fellow Children of God,
Perhaps you have been reading through God’s Word with me
and many others in the “Today’s Light Bible.” My wife, Kathy, is joining
the group in reading and listening to
God’s love, listening to His call, and to His direction for our lives. On
Saturday, after she did her reading, Kathy came to me and said, “That’s what I
heard in the Hospice Resale Shop. One elderly lady told another, ‘God
ALWAYS has a ram in the bushes!’”
The reading for Saturday, January 13 was from Genesis 22,
the confounding story of God calling Abraham to be willing to sacrifice his
beloved son, Isaac, for whom Abraham and Sarah had waited so long. If
anything, this chapter raises a lot of questions about our Lord Himself.
Many wonder, seemingly with good reason, why God would ask such a thing of
Abraham. In other parts of Scripture the Lord Himself forbids murder, and
forbids human sacrifice as abominable. In all honesty, we should not be
surprised when confronted with the mystery of God. Our Lord’s ways are higher than our ways, and
His thoughts higher than our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
But, there are some lessons we can learn from this reading,
lessons to which God Himself points. First, the Lord ultimately prevented
Abraham from the sacrifice. Look at verse 12, “He said, ‘Do not lay
your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God,
seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’" (Gen.
22:12 ESV) This was a test where, God not only learned the heart of Abraham,
but Abraham also discovered his priorities. Abraham grew in understanding the
real object of worship - God Himself.
However, there is another very important lesson about our
Lord which this account teaches, something we all need to learn. Abraham
reveals that lesson in the name which he gives to the place. “13
And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram,
caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered
it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called
the name of that place, ‘The LORD will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On
the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.’ (Gen. 22:13-14) Here is
what we need to learn: when we face life’s trials, troubles bigger than we are,
The Lord PROVIDES!
What challenges do you face today which are beyond your
ability to overcome? All I have to do to personally find such challenges is
go to my daily prayer list. I have entries on that list under different
categories. I pray for people with “life trouble,” for those with
“chronic” illnesses or conditions. I go to the Lord on behalf of family
and friends and church members who are afflicted with “cancer,” and for those
who are severely “ill.” I also pray that our Lord will provide “faith” to
those who are doubting, and that he will provide comfort to those in
“grief.” In addition, I pray for our “country” and our leaders, and for the
nations of the world, that they would work for “justice and
righteousness.” I pray by name for those whom I know are in the
“military”, and I pray for “myself” and my own life and faith. I pray for
our Lord’s “Church,” that the Christian Church would boldly proclaim the
gospel of Jesus. I ask God to guide and bless “St. John Lutheran Church”
in Alaska, and also “First Lutheran Church” in Florida. I pray for “families”
in stress, and for members of “my own family,” by name and by need. It is
also important that I GIVE “THANKS” for all the ways our Heavenly Father has
answered these prayers for situations beyond our ability and beyond our
strength and comprehension. I thank Him
for His responses of power and wisdom, of grace and love. I have learned that when facing impossible
situations, like Abraham faced, our Lord does provide. He does have a ram in the bushes! I do not know how God will answer, whether in
this life, or eternally. But, time and
again I have seen our Heavenly Father answer and provide.
However, do you also see in Genesis 22 the other, even
bigger way in which God provides? In Genesis 22:9 we read about
Abraham’s faith, “Abraham said, ‘God will provide for himself the lamb for a
burnt offering, my son.’"(Gen. 22:8) Not only does God provide for
Himself, God provides . . . HIMSELF.
The ultimate cause of the pain and suffering and problems
in this world is our sin, our selfishness, our rebellion, our pride, and all
the ways we turn from our Loving Creator and Lord. Yet surprisingly, God
provides Himself. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his
only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal
life.” (John 3:16) The Lord prevented Abraham from sacrificing his
son, Isaac. But God did give His only Son, Jesus, in love for
people who are overwhelmed by the trouble, the death, and the judgment brought
on by our sin. Our sin causes the suffering and death we face, but Jesus
overcame our sin when He died on the cross to pay for our rebellion.
Jesus overcame judgment and death when He rose from the dead. Jesus is “the
lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) Truly, JESUS
is God’s ram in the bushes for us!
I don’t know what problems those two ladies in the
Hospice Resale Store were discussing, but the woman who spoke and answered had
it right. No matter what we face, God has a ram in the bushes. We don’t
always know how He will act for in this life, but He provides. And,
we know that eternally God has acted in love through His Son, Jesus.
What are you facing right now? Do you see God’s ram
yet?
A Child of God, Thankful that God ALWAYS Has a Ram in the
Bushes!
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. FAMILY – Since returning to Alaska, we have
had time to spend with family. And, look
at this BEAUTIFUL sunrise from January 13!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/c8dc3hmAbfiuQAW29
FISHING - I went ice fishing 4 times
this past week. But, boy, did I have equipment troubles! I might
share those troubles next week.
·
On Wednesday, January 10, I had set the whole
day aside, but my snow machine and auger gave me troubles. Here are some
pictures of the beauty of an Alaskan winter! https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ssja8esopRSTtfp58
·
On Friday, January 12, I went fishing on
Seventeen Mile Lake and the equipment troubles continued. I still caught
10 trout and 3 arctic char / dolly vardon. Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/VNYfAKZF1rHwDGKy9
·
On Sunday, January 13, Kym Miller and I went
fishing. We left the snowmachine at home. We used her auger, and
caught around 50 fish! 😊 Here are a few
pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/3RusePGsgUWmWTc4A
·
On Monday, January 15, I took family and friends
fishing on Seventeen Mile Lake. Mary, Tim and Megan, and Tim’s friend,
Michael, all went fishing in the 0 degree weather. We fished for about 3
hours and we ALL caught fish. Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/iJDenKThyKnkCaEc8
P.P.S. On Thursday, after the previous day of
frustration, I went skiing at Skeetawk, rather than be frustrated by cranky
equipment again. Here are a couple of pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/HBVSrUccdLWzqMgg9
P.P.P.S. . ESPECIALLY FOR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH
- Gainesville.
READ THROUGH THE SCRIPTURE IN 2024 and 2025? –There
is still time to join Pastor Rockey in reading through the Bible during 2024
and 2025, using the “Today’s Light Bible.” This Bible leads a person
through Scripture in 2 years and includes daily devotions. We have made
it through 2 and 1/2 weeks! But, there is still time to join us.
This Bible may be purchased online at CPH or at Amazon. Here is a link to
purchase this devotional Bible. https://www.amazon.com/Todays-Light-Devotional-Bible-Fryar/dp/0758643519/ref=sr_1_1?crid=18IZZOYD5KP0Z&keywords=today%27s+light+devotional+bible&qid=1701895876&sprefix=Today%27s+light+devotional%2Caps%2C432&sr=8-1
NEW MEMBER CLASSS –A new membership class will
begin in the new year, perhaps on February 11. If you are interested, 5-6
people are talking of attending this class.) Here is a picture. https://photos.app.goo.gl/Zps44Bhsemu8W9rA9
TIME IN ALASKA – Kathy and I returned from Alaska,
arriving in Florida on Tuesday evening, January 16.
·
We will continue the Sunday Bible Class on
Acts.
·
During the season of Epiphany we will focus
on missions and evangelism
CALL PROCESS –
The First Lutheran Call Committee will meet again on
Thursday evening, January 18, at 5:30 p.m.
A CONGREGATIONAL BRUNCH AND POTLUCK will take
place on Sunday, January 28, after worship. At this time the
congregation will look at the work on the self study done by congregational
leaders, and then give input as we discuss who we are, who are neighbors are,
and how we are doing God’s work. The purpose of this study is to discover
what qualities God wants in the new shepherd for First Lutheran. PLAN
NOW TO ATTEND!
*******
ABOUT THIS DEVOTION - I retired at the end of August 2019
from serving as full-time 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. (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, FL
Pastor Emeritus, St.
John Lutheran Church, Palmer, AK
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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