Dear Fellow Children of God,
One of my all-time favorite sections of Scripture is
Psalm 121. I often read these verses to
homebound people I visit, or to those in the hospital. Psalm 121 promises that the Lord is our
keeper physically and spiritually, night and day, now and eternally. When I was first pastor at St. John Lutheran
Church in Palmer, Alaska, I visited Karl Kopperud’s dad, Herb Kopperud, in his home.
I read this section of God’s word. After
I read this Psalm, before I made any comments or prayed with and for Herb,
Claire Kopperud, Herb’s wife and Karl’s mom responded, “Oh, the Palmer Psalm.” Perhaps you know the well-known first two verses
of Psalm 121. “1 I lift up my eyes to
the hills. From where does my help come? 2 My help comes from the
LORD, who made heaven and earth.” Claire called Psalm 121 ‘The Palmer Psalm’
because Palmer is beautifully surrounded by mountains. So, God’s children in Palmer can look to the
mountains surrounding our town, and think of our Lord’s loving help.
However, the last verse of this short Psalm also speaks
to my heart. In fact, I find verse 8 especially
helpful in my life right now. “The
LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and
forevermore” The Lord keeps us in our comings and goings. In the next few
days Kathy and I have full lives.
We are not complaining. All our ‘adventures’
promise possible blessings. Nevertheless,
it is helpful to know the Lord keeps us in all these goings and comings.
We are preparing for the end of my time serving as
vacancy pastor at First Lutheran Church in Gainesville, FL, to return home to
our family in Palmer. We have been here
20 months. Pastor Chris Kollman has been
installed and is now serving First Lutheran with wisdom and faith and
energy. Yet, during our time at First
Lutheran Kathy and I have connected with God’s people in this place with bonds
of faith and love. Sunday, May 4 will be
my last Sunday to preach at my childhood home congregation for at least 5 months. There will be lots of good bye’s before we
drive to Tampa for our plane. It is good
that the Lord keeps us in all our goings and comings!
After 20 months, preparation for our return trip will take
a little more than just packing. What do
we take? What do we leave? Thankfully, the
Lord keeps us in all our goings and comings.
On Tuesday, April 29, I finally got my car back from the
body shop after I was hit at a stoplight on Saturday, April 5. Now, to check it out and make sure everything
is working. And, I need to move all the tools
and supplies which I had taken out back into my vehicle. Praise God no one was hurt in the
accident. Thankfully, the Lord keeps us
in all our goings and comings.
We have a Rockey family celebration on Saturday, May 3,
for brother James’ daughter, Elizabeth.
Elizabeth is marrying Peter Robbins in a ceremony at New Smyrna
Beach. We will be there for the
festivities. I am comforted to know for
Peter and Elizabeth that the Lord keeps us in all our goings and comings.
I received a surprise on Sunday night, April 13, which
caused Kathy to exclaim, “Who says God doesn’t have a sense of humor?” After preaching at the morning Palm Sunday
worship service, and after fishing in the afternoon, I received a text from
Forrest Wacker, head Elder at Our Redeemer Lutheran in Chugiak, AK. This congregation is 20 miles south of our
home in Palmer. Forrest inquired if I
might be available to help in their coming vacancy. I truly respect their shepherd, Pastor James
Baumgartner. I did not know he had a
call. But, he will soon be in St. Louis working
with Jesus’ larger church supporting missionaries for the Lutheran Church
Missouri Synod. James’ leaving will be a
BIG loss. Yet, Kathy and I had planned
to stay in Alaska at least into October.
So, I have agreed to help Our Redeemer during this time. It is truly good
that the Lord keeps us in all our goings and comings.
On Sunday, April 27, I attended the Mission and Ministry
Council meeting at First Lutheran after worship. However, after making my report I left to
help a man in need of a bus ticket. That
was a bigger chore than it looked at first.
On Tuesday, April 29, First Lutheran Pastor, Chris Kollmann, informed me
that after I left the meeting the Council had voted to put my one quarter time
salary into the 2025-2026 budget for 6 months.
While I knew the meeting included budget discussion, I did not realize
this was up for consideration. I am
truly thankful that the Lord keeps us in all our goings and comings.
When life is full I seek to remember the ‘journey’
my savior took. Do you know 2
Corinthians 8:9? God inspired the
Apostle Paul to write, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his
poverty might become rich.” Jesus’ journey took him from the riches of
heaven, to the sin, to the suffering, to the death and poverty of this world. Jesus traveled from heaven to earth so that by
His suffering and death and rising we can receive the riches and the joys of
heaven. THANK YOU, JESUS!! We are so blessed that the Lord keeps us in
all our goings and comings.
What do you face in your life? I pray that you find strength in God’s truth
from Psalm 121 that “The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore!”
A Child of God, Blessed Because my Lord Keeps Me in all
the Goings and Comings of Life!
Pastor Rockey
P.S. Here is the
full text of Psalm 121 – The Palmer Psalm.
Psalm 121 A Song of Ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my
help come?
2 My
help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
3 He
will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.
4
Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The
LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
6
The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
7
The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.
8
The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and
forevermore.
P.P.S I am concluding
my service as part-time assistant pastor at First Lutheran Church in
Gainesville, Florida, with Pastor Chris Kollmann.
Kathy and I will return home to
Alaska on May 5.
·
THANK YOU!!!!
Kathy and I are truly grateful for the opportunity to serve First
Lutheran during the recent vacancy. This
is the church where I grew up and my family made our home. This is the church where Kathy and I worship
when visiting Gainesville. This is the
congregation which encouraged me for ministry and sent me away to study to
become a pastor. First Lutheran has
nurtured me and my family. We are
thankful God gave us the opportunity to serve in this special congregation for
the last 20 months! Again, THANK YOU,
and God’s continued blessings!
·
WE CONTINUE TO READ THROUGH THE SCRIPTURE IN
2024 and 2025 using the “Today’s Light Devotional Bible.” On Tuesday,
April 29, we read Amos 9.
Feel free to
contact Pastor Rockey at 907-841-4066 if you have any questions about these
readings. Or send an e-mail question to jonrock53@mtaonline.net I have
recently received questions and comments. It is always good to consider
our Lord’s love and guidance. I will TRY to answer, but some things only God
knows!
·
SUNDAY SCHOOL IS IN FULL SWING until
May, and it is GROWING! Children begin in worship at 10:00 a.m.. Early in
the service, after the Children’s Message, children leave for a Sunday School lesson,
for a craft, and a snack.
Parents,
Grandparents, Uncles and Aunts, Neighbors, PLEASE bring your children to
Sunday School.
THANK YOU
Sunday School Teachers and staff!
P.P.P.S. Fishing and Family Fun:
·
We held the ‘annual’ Florida Rockey Fish fry and
invited family, church friends, neighbors, golf friends, to this April 26
gathering. We count that a total of 51
people attended. Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/RCCjekAM4WbjDdkeA
·
Fishing – I went fishing with golf friend, Mike
Abernathy on Friday, April 25. We caught
fish for the fish fry the next day! 😊 Here
are some pictures! https://photos.app.goo.gl/eX3324E2QGnnPCkZ7
*******
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. (However, I am currently 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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