Dear Fellow Children of God,
As Kathy and I finish our time serving in Florida, and as
we prepare to return home to Alaska, there are lots of things we want to accomplish. We are working on observing Holy Week and
celebrating Easter. There is a lot to do
for Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter.
Such celebration is important! For
example, Kathy purchased food on April 7 for the Passover Meal on April 17
because . . . she is cooking! We have a
family Easter celebration planned. And there
is a family wedding on May 3. And please
don’t forget, we have our “annual fish fry” planned for Saturday, April
26. Those are just some of the jobs and
activities we plan to accomplish before leaving Florida. We know what we have to do, and we are ready
to accomplish those tasks.
However, maybe you have seen the oft-quoted saying. “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your
plans.” That is not a verse from
Scripture. But, let me share with you a
few verses from the Bible about how God deals with our plans.
Do you know Proverbs 16:9? “The heart of man plans his way, but the
LORD establishes his steps.” Or, have
you read God’s wisdom from Provers 19:21?
“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of
the LORD that will stand.” In other
words, we may have plans for what we want to do. But we are not Lord – He is! God has a say in our lives.
The book of James also shares similar thoughts. “13 Come now, you who say,
"Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year
there and trade and make a profit"-- 14 yet you do not know
what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears
for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say,
"If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." (James
4:13-15) In other words, we may have plans, but God is LORD of all things. He is Lord of our lives. Humble acknowledgment that “God is Lord” is
wise!
Part of the plans I have for our fish fry is that I want
about 20 more fish for this occasion. We
have hosted between 35-60 people. I
am looking forward to catching those fish.
Therefore, it was not in my plans to have someone drive
into the back of my vehicle when I was stopped at a traffic light on Saturday
afternoon, April 5. The other driver and
I are both fine, and I drove my vehicle home thinking about fishing that
afternoon. However, because of damage I
did not see, I should not have driven the car home. It is now truly undrivable with my rear
driver’s side wheel bent in, and my brakes leaking fluid. On Monday a tow truck brought my car to the
shop for repairs. And who knows how long
that will take! In addition, Kathy left
Tuesday morning for her yearly quilting conference. Have you tried to work with an insurance
company to get a vehicle which will tow a boat?
If I shared everything about my conversations with insurance, this
devotion would take many more pages!
Now, I know that my home was not destroyed by war. No tornado took away family members. I do not have a terminal diagnosis for
cancer. The accident did not take my
life, nor that of a loved one. But, I
did have plans, as did Kathy! The
accident was not our mistake. Our
plans must change. How do we deal with
life when life changes our plans? I do
hear my Lord speaking from Scripture.
First, our plans may change, but God does not. Please consider Hebrews 13:8. “Jesus
Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (See also Malachi 3:6 a)
Jeremiah 29:11 is often quoted out of context, but the
Lord promises His love in these verses to people whose lives are different than
they desire. “For I know
the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for
evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
What are those plans which our Lord has for His
children? Listen to Romans 8:38-39. “38 For I am sure that neither
death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come,
nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all
creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our
Lord.” Did you hear that
promise? Nothing “in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord!”
Therefore, knowing that our Lord and His love for us does
not change, the wisdom of Proverbs 3 speaks to my heart. “5 Trust in the LORD with all
your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” 6 In all
your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) When life changes, I can
trust the Lord who does not change. I
can trust in the Lord who loves me eternally in Jesus. I can trust in my Lord, and He will guide me
through unexpected changes in life.
Yes, life is unsure.
Such uncertainty can mean life, or death. Such uncertainty can even affect fishing
plans. 😊 Nevertheless, the
Lord and His love for us in Jesus are sure.
In a world of uncertainty, when life and plans do change, we can we can
count on the Lord and His love. “5 Trust in the LORD with all
your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” 6 In all
your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
A Child of God, Trusting the Lord When Life Changes!
Pastor Rockey
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.
·
LENTEN SERVICES 2025 conclude on Wednesday evening April 9th. Our Mid-Week Lenten Sermon series this year
was “Conventional Wisdom vs. God’s Wisdom.
The Sermon for Lent 6, April 9 is “God=s
Wisdom Concerning Death”
· MID
WEEK LENTEN MEALS - Each Wednesday during Lent at 5:00 p.m. First Lutheran
families will serve meals before our mid-week Lenten worship. These meals provide an opportunity for
fellowship and make it easier for people to attend Wednesday Lenten Worship,
since we don=t have to
bring anything after work for a potluck meal, and there is no cost. Come and enjoy the meals and the time with
God’s people! Sayer Kahlaf is serving on April 9. THANKS to all who have prepared these meals
for God’s children at FLC.
· HOLY
WEEK SCHEDULE
Palm Sunday
10:00am with
Communion
(Gather in the courtyard at 9:45am with your
Palms.
Palms will be available at the Welcome Table
located by the main door under the breezeway)
Open Arms
Children will have a special message during the Children’s Message
Maundy
Thursday
Noon and 7:30pm
Worship (both services with Communion)
Passover Dinner
at 6:00pm in the Fellowship Hall
Good Friday
Noon and 6:30pm
Worship (no Communion either service)
(No dinner this evening.)
Easter
Morning Worship
8:30am Worship
with Holy Communion
9:30am Easter
Morning Breakfast
10:00am Easter
Egg Hunt
11:00am Worship
with Holy Communion
·
A ‘Basic Teachings of the Bible’ / ‘New
Member Class began at First Lutheran on March 2 Seven people have attended, but others
can join us. ON SATURDAY, APRIL 12 AT
9:00, WE WILL CONDUCT AN ALL DAY MAKE UP / STUDY AHEAD class. If someone wants to learn more, or to
refresh their knowledge, come and join us.
There is no commitment to join FLC just because a person attends the
class.
·
First Lutheran is re-activating the Stephen
Ministry program! - Stephen Ministry is an organized and supervised plan
for Christian caring. Stephen Ministers
are trained to listen, to bring Jesus to people’s troubles. They are trained to walk alongside others as
Christian friends, bringing the saving love of God.
Angie Burr,
Jean Halabrin, and Dana Lucas have been trained as leaders. We commissioned our leadership team in
worship on April 6!
·
SUNDAY SCHOOL IS IN FULL SWING until
May, and GROWING! Children begin in worship at 10:00 a.m.. Early in the
service, after the Children’s Message, children leave for a 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 meet on
Tuesday nights in the student house at 7:00 p.m. We are studying “The
Case for Christ” and discussing defending our Christian faith in a world of
doubt. Come and join us!
ALSO,
FLC serves College Lunch for students in the Fellowship Hall after worship
each Sunday of the school year.
·
WE CONTINUE TO READ THROUGH THE SCRIPTURE IN
2024 and 2025 using the “Today’s Light Devotional Bible.” On Wednesday,
April 9, we read through Daniel 12.
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!
P.P.P.S. Fishing and Family Fun:
·
Friends – Some members of our former
church in Jacksonville, where I served 1983-1991, came to visit on Friday, April
4. Here is a picture of Kathy and me
with Everett and Edie Conaway and Mary Herrera Jones. https://photos.app.goo.gl/Xf5TmtxxVqsSPGbP9
·
Automobile Damage – Here are some
pictures of my vehicle after I was hit while stopped at a traffic light. https://photos.app.goo.gl/3aHH5T62Xzhq5iKQ7
·
Fishing –
o I
went fishing on Thursday, April 3, and caught a few bass for the fish fry. Here
are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/32RX7k7avQpkjdVr8
o On
Sunday, April 6, I took Pastor Chris Kollmann and his oldest two boys
fishing. We had one bite. We caught no fish. But, from the smiles, I think the boys
enjoyed the trip. Here are some
pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/BzKWwpoZsKmoHucG8
*******
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)
No comments:
Post a Comment