Dear Fellow Children of God,
On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week I communicated with
friend Steve Arlow. Steve is a former member of St. John Lutheran Church in
Palmer but now lives elsewhere. We were
trying to arrange for Steve to borrow my canoe.
However, coordinating our schedules was a little bit of a
challenge. After we finally worked out our
plans, Steve’s text to me read, “Thanks Jonathan!!! Doesn’t sound like you’re retired!!!!” In truth, my granddaughter has also told me, “You
FAILED retirement.” I could have responded to Steve in an offhand way, “I guess
that’s just who I am. I like to be
active, doing something worthwhile.”
But, are there times when it seems that the chores of one
day lead to the responsibilities and the chores of the next day, with no end in
sight? As we walk and work through our
daily responsibilities, through our chores, through tasks which we might not
even expect to face, we can become weary.
Do we have the strength, the endurance, not just for today but also for
the long-term future?
The truth is that we never are alone. God has showered all the blessings of heaven
upon us (Ephesians 1:3). We have our
Lord’s Word, God’s lamp to our feet ans His light to our path. He comes to us through our baptisms and the
Lord’s Supper, God’s gifts of love and forgiveness for our lives of faith. Our Lord provides fellowship and friendship
through our brothers and sisters in His Church.
Yet, even though our Lord provides all these tools and resources, there
may still be times in the middle of our daily efforts that we can feel weary,
lonely, or inadequate.
Please let me remind you of another way that our Lord is
there for us, every day, for our good.
Sometimes we forget the truth which God inspired Paul to write at the
end of Ephesians 1. “God raised him from the
dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far
above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that
is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And
he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the
church,” (Ephesians 1:20-22) Yes,
Jesus died to pay for our sins. He rose
from the dead to win eternal life for us in heaven, through faith. But, Jesus is not just with us for eternal
life. He is also with us today.
Thursday, May 29 is Ascension Day for 2025. Forty
days after Jesus rose, He ascended to heaven. (See Acts 1:1-11) As
we confess in the Apostles’ or Nicene Creed each Sunday, Jesus “ascended into
heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.” Jesus’
ascension is not just a fact of history. Jesus’ ascension is one of our
Heavenly Father’s great gifts for His people. For times when we may feel
weary, or when we feel lonely, or unable to face the daily chores of life,
Jesus is head over all things for the church, for US! We
don’t always understand what is happening in our world. But if we ask in
the middle of life’s challenges, “Where is God?”, the answer from Ephesians 1
is that Jesus is with us. Jesus is head
over, in charge of, everything, according to His wisdom, for the
Church!!! What a comfort and strength to know God’s help because of
Jesus’ ascension!
I do not feel like I failed retirement. I am thankful for the opportunity to continue
serving my Lord and sharing His word with others, while perhaps actually working
less hours than I used to work. Still,
there are times I can feel weary, or lonely, or inadequate. Please remember
with me the truth of God’s grace from this Thursday, Ascension Day. Receive our Lord’s comfort and strength!
Jesus is “head over all things to the church,”
A Child of God, Thankful that Jesus is ‘Head Over All
Things to the Church’ – For ME!
Pastor Rockey
P.S. I am now
serving Our Redeemer Lutheran in Chugiak, AK, as part-time Vacancy Pastor.
·
MANY CONTINUE TO READ THROUGH THE SCRIPTURE WITH
ME IN 2024 and 2025 using the “Today’s Light Devotional Bible.” On Thursday,
May 28, we read Zechariah 13. We will
finish Zechariah and Malachi THIS Saturday, May 31, and then begin reading from
the New Testament on June 2!
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!
· VBS
will be held at Our Redeemer from Monday, June 9 through Friday, June 14 from
9:30 a.m. till noon each day. Bring your
kids, your grandkids, and your neighbor kids!
😊
P.P.S. Family Fun:
·
Family Time –
o I
worked on my garden some more. All seeds
and starts are planted. Here are some
more pictures. (More to come next week.)
https://photos.app.goo.gl/oc43qURYTNvFUPSKA
o I
had a doctor’s appointment for treatment on my face on Friday, May 23. I had to stay out of the sun through
Sunday. On Friday, however, I did get my
lawn mowed for the first time this year.
Here is a picture. https://photos.app.goo.gl/4JheJXP56GrxwJFRA
o Here
are some pictures of God’s beauty from my front porch on Saturday, May 24. https://photos.app.goo.gl/D3N8xEpHFb97jjLr8
o I
got flowers planted on Monday, May 26.
Pictures next week.
o I
do feel like, after about 3 weeks in Alaska, I almost have my feet under
myself.
Fishing - No Fishing this week. I’m still waiting on my boat. I did golf.
😊
*******
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
Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Chugiak, AK.)
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, Our Redeemer
Lutheran Church, Chugiak, AK
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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