Dear Fellow Children of God,
If you have been reading through the Bible with me you
recently read some interesting and exciting accounts in the book of
Exodus. The people of Israel had escaped
400 years of slavery in Egypt. God had
parted the Red Sea so that His people walked through. The Lord provided His presence in a pillar of
cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night.
He fed the people with manna and quail, and He miraculously provided
water for a thirsty nation. Then, and
it’s a BIG then, then the people of Israel arrived at Mt. Sinai. There the Lord gave His people the 10
commandments, and other laws and instructions by which to live.
Do you ever read God’s word and see something new which
jumps out at you, something that has always been there, but you did not
previously see? That happened to me as I
read through these chapters of Exodus.
In Exodus 19, as the people were about to receive the 10 commandments,
we are told the following. “20 The LORD came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of
the mountain. And the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses
went up.” (Exod. 19:20 ESV) It’s the first four words of this sentence which
struck me, “The Lord Came Down.”
To a people who had been in slavery, “The Lord Came Down.” To the people
trapped between Pharoah’s army and the Red Sea, “The Lord Came Down.” To
a people full of doubt and wayward hearts, “The Lord Came Down.” To
a people who needed help and saving, “The
Lord Came Down.”
What is going on in your life? Are you rejoicing in
blessings? Is there a new child in your
family? Do you have a new job you
enjoy? Or are you, or a loved one,
facing illness. Are you worried about a
child, or a friend? Are you struggling
financially? Have you lost a loved
one. Guess what, The Lord came down
. . . to Israel. God comes down, for us!
Do you know John 3:17?
“17 For God did not send his Son into the world to
condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
God
sent His Son, or in other words, THE LORD CAME DOWN! In Jesus God came to release us from the
slavery of sin. In Jesus God came to
save from death and judgement. For
people in need, through Jesus, The Lord came down.
There are other ways
in which this is true today. God speaks
to us in His word. By His Word, “The
Lord came down”. In baptism God
gives the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)
Again, “The Lord Came down.”
Through the Lord’s Supper we receive the body and blood of Jesus
Himself. God comes down. Through the Holy Spirit living in the temple
of our bodies, The Lord comes down. And,
we have the promise that just as Jesus ascended into heaven, He will return
again some day as Judge and Deliverer. As we perhaps worry about the future,
The Lord Comes Down.
Sometimes I read God’s
word and it just hits me between the eyes.
At least that happened to me as I read Exodus 19. Just what we need: The Lord came down. The
Lord comes down. And Jesus will come
again.
I pray that you see
the presence of God in your life.
A Child of God, Thankful that ‘THE LORD CAME DOWN!!’
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. NEWS
CONCERNING FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH - Gainesville.
BLOOD DRIVE – There is a blood drive at First
Lutheran THIS SUNDAY, February 25, from 9:00 a.m. till 12:00 noon. Among others needing blood, the teenage
grandson of Tom and Linda Wendling has been diagnosed with leukemia and requires
regular transfusions. Please be willing
to give and serve this Sunday.
MID-WEEK LENTEN WORSHIP CONTINUES each Wednesday with
worship services at 6:30 p.m. These
services are held at 6:30 each Wednesday in Lent, until March 20. A Lenten meal
is held each Wednesday evening at 5:00 p.m.
The Theme of our Lenten worship is “The Blessings of Suffering.”
GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH IN CHIEFLAND, a
daughter congregation of First Lutheran, installed Pastor Larry Griffin last
Sunday, February 18. Here is a picture from that event. https://photos.app.goo.gl/7gXKNPW3GaKYokKq7
CALL PROCESS – Our self-study for the pastoral call is
completed. On Tuesday, February 20, the call Committee interviewd a
potential “deferred vicar,” a man who would serve as vicar and then be eligible
for remaining at First Lutheran. This candidate, Timothy Handrick,
has been a DCE for 17 years, and is now finishing seminary. The call committee is recommending a
Congregational Voters’ Meeting on Sunday, March 3, to consider their recommendation
on this candidate. PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND
THIS MEETING.
BASIC TEACHINGS OF THE BIBLE / NEW MEMBER CLASSS –A
new membership class began February 11th,
after worship in the Besalski Fellowship Hall. But, we have only just
begun. There is still time to join the class.
This is also a good way to refresh you knowledge of God’s Word.
PLEASE NOTE, JUST BECAUSE A PERSON
ATTENDS THE CLASS DOES NOT MEAN THEY ARE COMMITTED TO JOINING FIRST LUTHERAN.
If you are interested in learning and growing, we would love to have you join
us.
A STUDY OF THE BOOK OF ACTS continues on Sunday
mornings at 8:45 a.m. in the Besalski Fellowship Hall. We are now
studying Acts 10.
WE CONTINUE TO READ THROUGH THE SCRIPTURE IN 2024 and
2025 using the Today’s Light Devotional Bible. –We held a zoom
meeting last Wednesday, February 7, to discuss what we have been reading.
A total of 4 people, plus the pastor, participated. We talked (or I did)
for about an hour, reviewing readings through Genesis and into Exodus. We
may hold another such Zoom meeting. As of February 13 we had read through
Exodus 15.
SUNDAY SCHOOL IS HELD EACH SUNDAY DURING WORSHIP.
PLEASE bring your children and grandchildren!
P.P.S. PICTURES – AND OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST
I went FISHING THREE TIMES this past week.
On Friday, February 16, Alaska Friend, Fred Vasilie, and
I went fishing on Orange Lake. Here are
some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/K1GiU5vQGesirH9L9
On Saturday, February 17, Fred and I went fishing again,
and this time encountered some precipitation.
Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/DXxHyKdEAXuCeHNm8
On Monday, February 19, I took Pastor Patrick Galligar
from Lecanto, and his 87 year old dad, Jerry, fishing. There was one bite and Jerry caught the
fish. Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/QPgPFe26y947SM1r6
*******
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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