Dear Fellow Children of God,
As I was preparing for a golf tournament on Monday
morning, April 21, the day after Easter, a friend told me, “Hey Rock, the
Catholic Church will be calling you. Pope
Francis died.” His words were obviously
meant jokingly. Sometimes we humans use humor to deal with loss and grief. Yet,
I had not yet heard about the pope passing.
In truth, I pray every morning that God strengthens the ‘Holy Christian
Church’ on earth to ‘boldly proclaim the Gospel of Jesus’ (Ephesians 6:18b-20).
Even though I am a Lutheran Christian, I will be praying for the Roman Catholic
Church to find a faithful and effective new leader. Shepherds and leaders are important for our
Lord’s church as it works to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus.
As I was thinking about this news, it seemed appropriate to
me that the day after Easter was the day Pope Francis died. Death is almost always bad news. But, because of Easter, Christians do not face
death as the end of life. Christians instead see death as the beginning of
eternity with our Lord. There is a way
in which the pope’s death can communicate and even celebrate Jesus’ Easter
victory in the pope’s life, and also proclaim Jesus’ Easter victory for our
lives.
Then I began thinking about my prayer list. I revised my current list on December 9,
2024. Since that time TEN people for
whom I was praying were taken to heaven.
That is a LOT! I have never
before had so many people for whom I was praying die in so short a time. My list includes friends and church members
in Alaska, and also Florida, people I know and care about.
Among those whom the Lord has called home since December
9 are Jody Kolberg Fenton. Jody grew up at St. John in Palmer, but when she
married Murray, they moved to Soldotna.
I baptized their daughters. God
also called Karen Nystrom Sorenson home.
Karen is the sister of Mike Nystrom, a very active member of St.
John. Another victim of cancer is Gary
Reaves, my brother-in-law Mark’s brother, I hunted moose with Tom Anderson, Tom
and his wife Marilyn lived in Kenai, but both had cancer. I visited them in their home and brought
communion. Both Tom and Marilyn passed
away in the past couple of months. Last summer good friend Paul Scott asked me
to pray for his almost 4 year old granddaughter, Rylee Chavez. Rylee made it longer than the doctors
expected, but she died in January of brain cancer. Kathy and I also received word in January
that long-time friend, Carolyn Dwight, succumbed to dementia. I visited with
Carolyn’s husband, Rick, after her death. I first visited Guillermo
Luna-Victoria in September of 2023 in the ICU in Gainesville, FL. Guillermo, or Billy, died this month on April
3 of multiple health issues after almost 20 months in the hospital. Steve Brown was a good friend I knew from my
Palmer Kiwanis Club. Steve died
unexpectedly, and his memorial service is being held in Palmer on May 10., Finally,
Pastor Phil Kuehnert served in Fairbanks, Alaska, during my time in Palmer. Even after he retired and moved to Virginia,
we kept in touch. We even communicated in the last month or so. But Phil died from heart failure during holy
week, 2025. That list doesn’t even
include three other families whom I pray for because they have lost loved ones
in the past twelve months, the family of Luke Peltier, and Sandra Garley, and
Jeff Overstreet!
Perhaps you can tell from my sharing that I knew all these
people, or their families, quite well. I
cared for them. This IS personal. And, like the pope, those are people I prayed
for who are now experiencing Jesus’ Easter victory in heaven.
Is Easter personal for you? Jesus did much to prepare His disciples for
His coming crucifixion and death. He
knew His cross would shock and overwhelm those he cared about. However, Jesus’ suffering and death had a
purpose. We have rebelled and sinned
against the Creator and Lord of our universe.
Our waywardness separates us from the God of life and love. That is why Jesus, the Son of God, died. Hebrews 2:17 teaches us, “Therefore he had
to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a
merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation
for the sins of the people.” Jesus
became human, He suffered and died to pay the debt which our sin against God
demands.
Thankfully, God’s eternal plan was that sin would not win
through death. Instead, God planned that
as Jesus died, He would defeat sin and death through His resurrection.
Listen to what Jesus taught His disciples the night when He was betrayed.
“Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because
I live, you also will live.” (John 14:19)
Again I ask, “Is Easter personal for you?” Sadly, that long list of my friends and
former church members passed away. I
cared about them. I care about
them. But I believe the words of
Jesus. Because I live, you also
will live. Easter brings God’s
good news which is personal for me.
If the death of Pope Francis the day after Easter was a
good opportunity to communicate and celebrate Jesus’ resurrection victory, Easter
brings good news for me too. My friends
and fellow Christians may have died, but they are NOT dead. Jesus rose.
Because he lives, THEY LIVE!
Easter is not just a religious story. Easter is not just
an historic event. Jesus’ resurrection is real, and it affects us. Easter
blesses us personally as we live through the struggles and losses of this
life. I grieve the loss of friends and
loved ones, but I celebrate their life in heaven. As Jesus proclaimed, “Because I
live, you also will live!”
A Child of God, THANKFUL that Jesus’ Easter Resurrection
Brings PERSONAL Good News!
Pastor Rockey
P.S. Other
versions of John 14:19
·
KJV John 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world
seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
·
NIV John 14:19 Before long, the world will not
see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
·
NAS John 14:19 "After a little while the
world will behold Me no more; but you will behold Me; because I live,
you shall live also.
·
NKJ John 14:19 " A little while longer and
the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will
live also.
P.P.S. I continue
to serve 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.
·
HOLY WEEK AT FLC
o Here
are some pictures from the Passover meal preparation and celebration. https://photos.app.goo.gl/wvjQ1pLUVJZ5KAq1A
o Here
is a picture of the FLC bell choir practicing at 7:30 a.m. on Easter Sunday
morning. https://photos.app.goo.gl/rJnVhwpweeupGvCz7
·
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 2, we finished the book of Joel.
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!
·
COLLEGE STUDENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS met for
their final study last Tuesday night, April 22, in the student house at 7:00 p.m. We have
been studying “The Case for Christ” and discussing defending our Christian
faith in a world of doubt. On Tuesday,
April 22, we will watch a movie based on this book. Come and join us!
ALSO,
there will be College Lunch for students in the Fellowship Hall after
worship.
P.P.P.S. Fishing and Family Fun:
·
The Florida Rockeys Gathered for Easter on
Saturday, April 19. Here are some
pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/4QxkAcsbnJZrUehr6
·
Fishing – With Holy Week I was busy and did not
fish many times. HOWEVER, when I did
fish, it was productive! I think
God turned on the switch for the big bass to bite. I have caught big bass before. But, I have over 300 trips in my Florida
boat. When I have caught a 5 lb. bass,
or bigger, I have only ever caught one per trip. On Easter Sunday afternoon the Lord blessed
me with 2 - 5 lb. bass and 2 6- bass.
The only problem
is by law a person can only keep one fish a day 16” or over. I caught 4 fish over 20”. I kept the first for an upcoming fish fry,
and released the other 3. I wanted some
smaller fish, but only caught 2 of those.
Here are some pictures.
o I
went fishing at Rodman Reservoir and put in around 3:30 p.m. I caught this 21” fish after about 5 or 10
minutes of fishing. 😊 https://photos.app.goo.gl/eP6HNTpfKaat8GUZ9
o I
caught a couple more smaller fish, and then crossed to the other side of the
reservoir. I was surprised to bring in
this 20 ½” bass. This one was fatter,
probably full of eggs. https://photos.app.goo.gl/WPBvcFLRSVJy9RMZ8
o The
sun was behind me when I caught this fish.
It measured 22” on my ruler on the side of the boat. The picture is not great, but you get the
idea. This was also a ‘fatter’ fish. https://photos.app.goo.gl/xJ277Bc4s97nSwun9
o As
I was pulling in I had a few more bites.
I caught the last one which, when I was measuring it, was a little over
22”. However, I dropped it into the
water while measuring. But I could not
have kept it. No picture for the fourth
large fish. ☹
o This
is a scale I use to determine how much a fish weighs. It is an estimate, but helps. I have a scale on the rail of the boat. I measure the fish and determine it’s weight
from the scale. 😊
https://photos.app.goo.gl/A7UVdj4s4vieZbAT8
o On
Monday, April 14, after a game of golf, I went fishing for the first time on
Lake Wauburg. Here is the only
picture. https://photos.app.goo.gl/pubZ9Fm78ijgjQdj9
*******
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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