I am on the e-mail distribution list for the Mat-Su Sentinel. I appreciate the quality, in-depth, local
reporting of Amy Bushatz for our Alaskan community. I received a message from them on Tuesday,
February 24, which read, “If you’re like me, you’re officially at the part
of winter where you need something really fun to bust you out of your
late-winter funk.” There are times in my winter experiences in Alaska when
I have had enough of the dark, enough of the wind, maybe – but not always – enough
of the cold and snow. What do you do
when you’ve had enough? Amy suggests
fun. I confess, that Kathy and I are in Florida for a while. Yet, how do you
deal with winter?
On a larger scale, how does a child of God deal with the trials
of life? How do we deal with the attacks
on our faith and our relationship with our Lord? The bottom line I have learned from the
experiences of my life is to “Fix My Eyes on Jesus!”
The writer to
the Hebrews recounts the trials and the faith of many Old Testament
individuals, and then issues this call for those to whom God inspired him to
write, “1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of
witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily
entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let
us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the
joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the
right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition
from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1-3) To find ‘perseverance’ in the face of the
trials of life and attacks on our faith, so that we do not ‘grow weary and lose
heart, ‘ the writer instructs, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus”. Jesus also endured deep struggles of life, as
we do. In fact, Jesus endured more. He went to the cross. Wonderfully, Jesus is now sitting down at the
right hand of His Heavenly Father.
Those Old
Testament people looked to the Lord who was with them through their failure and
sin. They looked to the Lord who was
with them when they suffered slavery in strange lands. They looked to the Lord who was faithful,
when others became unfaithful. They
looked to the power and love and grace and forgiveness of God, which is
ultimately found in Jesus.
However, I want
to share with you that such perseverance in life, through trusting in Jesus, is
not just found in those who lived in Biblical times. I see it today on a regular basis.
A couple of
weeks ago I visited a member of First Lutheran Church in Gainesville, FL. She has suffered medical setback after
setback. Yet when I visited, she was praising
the Lord and telling me, through the frustration of her ailments, how good and
faithful God is. She looked to Jesus,
and she perseveres in faith.
I have seen the
same in Alaska. In December I visited a
lady who was dying of a horrible, incurable disease. Yet when I arrived she received the reading
of Scripture and the Lord’s Supper, though it took serious effort to sit up and
to pay attention. She expressed thanks for
the grace of God through her suffering.
That is perseverance.
I have a friend
in another state who has faced serious legal issues. There were failures in his life which
continue to bring challenges. Yet, he
knows the grace of God through forgiveness in Jesus. My friend has grown in his faith and trusts
Jesus to deal with his problems and failures.
He now witnesses to others about the love of Jesus, and he also encourages
me in my service as pastor. That is
perseverance, because he fixes his eyes on Jesus.
I have known a
man for almost 40 years who has struggled with substance issues. His struggles wreaked havoc on his family, on
his work, on his life. We visited many
times through his struggles. Somehow in
all the failures, he continued to know and trust God’s love in Jesus. Today this man helps others with similar struggles.
On Wednesday morning,
February 25, I received an email message from a lady whose family has struggled
with their Christian life. Yet she
continues worshiping and serving, because Jesus is faithful to her. As the writer to Hebrews declares at the end
of chapter 11, he could go on and sharing about people of faith. I could go on and on today, sharing about
those who continue trusting and serving their Lord, in spite of their defeats
and struggles in this life. I try to
bring them encouragement, yet their perseverance, their faith in Jesus, even
more encourages and strengthens me.
Many Christians
are currently observing the season of Lent, a season of repentance for our sins. Lent is therefore also a time of perseverance,
the time that Christians look in hope to the cross of Jesus, the greatest act
of love for the whole world. Christians
look in hope to the cross where Jesus defeated our sin, overcame our enemies, and
won forgiveness and eternal life in heaven.
Amy’s suggestion
about dealing with the doldrums of winter is a skate party at the MTA Events
Center in Palmer on March 25. That does sound
like fun. I have found that time with my
Lord and with fellow children of God in worship and fellowship is extremely
helpful. Another of my personal practices
for dealing with the stresses of life is to experience and to enjoy the
faithful love of God in creation. That’s
a long phrase to describe . . . fishing!
😊 Ice fishing in March can be glorious! Or, bass fishing in Florida! Yet in all this, I can ‘fix my eyes on my
Lord.’
How do you
persevere through the constant challenges and burdens of life? How are you able to ‘fix your eyes on Jesus’?
A Child of God, Persevering
Through the Trials of Life by Fixing My Eyes on Jesus!
Pastor Rockey
P.S. I am
now in Gainesville, FL, serving as assistant to Pastor Chris Kollmann at First
Lutheran Church.
First
Lutheran Activities
·
MID-WEEK LENTEN WORSHIP – In the time
before Jesus’ Easter victory, we focus on our need for His resurrection. Lent is a season of repentance for our
sin. Lent is a season when we watch
Jesus suffer and die for us.
During
our 2026 Mid-Week Lenten Worship at First Lutheran we will focus on
The
Sins of the Disciples. Here is our
schedule for the sermons.
February
18 - Judas Betrayal
February
25 - James and John Who
is the Greatest
March
4 Andrew Pride
March
11 Peter, James, and
John Laziness/Falling Asleep
March
18 Peter Denial
March
25 Thomas Doubt
·
SUNDAY SERMON SERIES – During the Sunday
Worship Services we will consider Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son, looking
at different parts of the parable for 6 weeks.
Not only the words of Luke 15 help us understand, but also Timothy Keller’s
book, “The Prodigal God.” Here are our
topics for the year’s Sunday Lenten Sermons.
o
Week 1 - Feb 15 - I
want your life - Luke 15:11-16, Ephesians 4:17-24
o
Week 2 - Feb 22nd -
The Younger Brother's Plan - Luke 15:11-24
o
Week 3 - March 1 -
Redefining Sin and Lostness - Luke 15: 11-16, 25-32,
o
Week 4 - March 8th -
He Ran to Me - Luke 15:11-24, Philippians 2:1-11
o
Week 5 - March 15th -
The True Elder Brother - Luke 15:25-32, Matthew 28-34-40
o
Week 6 - March 22nd -
How does it End? - Luke 15:25-32, Mark 8:31-33
·
STEPHEN MINISTRY - We started Stephen
Ministry classes at First Lutheran on Thursday, February 12. Stephen
Ministers are trained Christian care-givers. A Stephen Minister is not
a pastor, and not a counselor. But they Christians who are
trained to bring Jesus and His love to another Christian person facing a
difficult time.
Open Arms Director, Angie Burr, is a trained
Stephen Leader. We are looking for one or two more people to go through
training to help Angie lead in this ministry.
We do have 8 people who have committed to train
and serve as Stephen Ministers, as Christian care-givers. Training
happens on Thursdays at 6:00 p.m. and will end on April 23.
If you would like to be trained as a
Stephen Ministry Leader, training begins online on March 16. Please contact Angie Burr or contact me
(Pastor Rockey).
·
Pastor Kollman and I are teaching separate
Sunday Bible classes on Sundays at 8:45 a.m.
o
Pastor Kollmann is teaching a Lutheran Hour
Ministry Class on “How we Got the Bible” in the Besalski Fellowship
Hall.
o
I am teaching a study of the book of Ephesians
in the Schwiebert Library and Conference room.
·
Young People Activities at FLC
o
YOUTH ACTIVITIES - Our first youth
activity was held at the Kollmann residence on Sunday afternoon, February 22. It was supposed to be a bonfire, but there is
a ‘burn ban’ because of the current dry conditions.
We are discussing other monthly activities. We discussed a trip to Devil’s Millhopper, or
a Gator’s baseball game in March. In
April we plan to attend the Orange and Blue Game. 😊 If
your children are going into 3rd grade, or older, please consider participating
in these fun activities of growth.
o
ACOLYTE TRAINING - We held acolyte
training on Saturday, February 21, at 11:00 a.m. Four young people were
trained, with one more to be trained later.
Here is a picture from Saturday’s class.
😊 https://photos.app.goo.gl/od1k5JEMkC3NMDpv8
Other
Activities of Faith:
·
I have again started my two year journey with my
Lord. On Wednesday, February 25, I read Exodus 28-29, about the
consecration of Aaron and the priests.
Feel free to join me again if you
wish. You may also contact me at 907-841-4066 if you have any
questions about these readings. Or send an e-mail question to jonrock53@mtaonline.net
I have received questions and comments about the readings. 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.S. Family
Fun and Fishing! Temperatures are warming up, so I fished and
golfed this past week.
·
On Friday, February 20, I golfed in the morning
and went fishing in the afternoon at one of my favorite local lakes. Unfortunately, the water is low and the wind
was blowing hard. I only have
this sunset picture from that sunset. https://photos.app.goo.gl/yhazpMW4u1iGSbUt7
(If you click on these links, there are also captions for the pictures.)
·
On Saturday, February 21, after teaching acolyte
training class, I went to another local lake.
I hid from the wind and had lots of bites. I actually came home with a limit of small
bass. Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/CyqGE8uMG4ig8APy5 (If you click on this link, and the
individual pictures, there are also captions for the pictures.)
*******
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 Assistant to the 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
Assistant to the
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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