Dear Fellow Children of God,
The last couple of weeks devotions have dealt with some
heavy subjects. Maybe this week I can
make you smile, while talking about Jesus.
These days I use my phone, an I-phone, for my alarm clock. I plug it in beside my bed and wait for it to
make noise at the right time in the morning.
When my phone is beside our bed, Kathy has asked me to silence the
notifications and the ringing of the phone.
But. . . sometimes I forget.
A couple of months ago I forgot to silence my phone. I will also share that I am part of several
text strings. I communicate with groups
from Anchorage Lutheran where I am serving.
I have multiple groups of family with whom I communicate about family
matters. I am also, however, on a couple
of text strings with my golf buddies in FL.
😊
Now, most of my golf buddies are over 70. I hear complaints about big thumbs and fat
fingers. I read in their messages about
struggles with setting up the technology and setting up the groups so that the
right people get the right messages. I
too am constantly learning how to use the phones and devices which help
us navigate our world today. It is not
surprising that we struggle somewhat learning new skills with technology.
So one morning a couple of months ago, one of my friends
in my golf group, a friend who will remain nameless here at least, went to send
a text to the whole group. I later heard
something about fat fingers, because instead of sending a text, he touched the
button for a ‘face-time’ phone call.
Florida is 4 hours later than Alaska.
Therefore, when he made the face-time call at 9:30 a.m. Florida time, it
was 5:30 a.m. Alaska time. This was one
of those nights when I had forgotten to silence my phone. But, a pastor can receive phone calls any time
of day or night. At least that is what I
have told Kathy.
My phone rang, I reached over in bed and picked it up,
and about a dozen or more faces were looking at me as I lay in bed. Only, I was not the only one in bed, Kathy
was beside me. I heard from my phone,
“Who’s calling?” “Look at all those
people!” “LOOK, THERE’S SOMEONE IN
BED! WHO IS STILL IN BED AT THIS TIME?”
It was a ‘little’ embarrassing, but I am not too easily
embarrassed. However, Kathy was not
happy. I had forgotten to silence my
phone. She was awakened too early. Then I had given my golf friends pictures of
us in bed trying to sleep. I had goofed
up . . . AGAIN. I needed to apologize,
and I did. Hopefully, I am now more
diligent to silence my phone before I go to bed.
I hope this personal account gave you a laugh. Unfortunately, while some of my reasons for
apologizing are because of somewhat humorous forgetfulness, other reasons for
apologizing are deeper acts of pride, or selfishness, or anger, or . . . you
know, unloving sin. It is not uncommon
for me to think about times and places where I did things I now regret. We are all sinful. We all disobey our Lord, and hurt others.
Thankfully, my wife has a gentle Christian heart. She will tell me when I need correcting. She will remind me again when I have
forgotten her corrections. But she is
also full of grace and forgiveness.
Listen to these instructions which God inspired St. Paul
to write to the church in Ephesus, directions for forgiving. “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32) Think of the kindness and mercy of Jesus who
came to this world “to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)
Meditate on the tender heart of Jesus who forgave His disciple for
abandoning Him, and who forgave Peter for denying Him. St. John writes in his first epistle, “1
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.
But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours
only but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:1-2)
Jesus didn’t just come to pay for our sin, but to pay the debt of the
sin of the whole world. On the other
hand, Jesus does not just pay the price for the sins of the whole world, He has
paid the price for us individually, and for our sins, and our misdeeds. Does the tenderhearted kindness and
forgiveness of Jesus strike you?
This week in staff meeting I added a new topic for
discussion. I reminded staff that we are
entering a time of extra services, extra events, and a season which can be
stressful. In the middle of this stress
I pointed out that we need to care, to help, and to encourage one another. We need to be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving!
I am truly thankful for my wife, for this lady of faith,
and grace and forgiveness. I NEED her
love and kindness! I pray that my Lord
would remind me of His forgiveness to this faulty sinner, so I can show His
grace to others. “Be kind to one
another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
A Child of God, Seeking to Be Gracious and Forgiving - Like
Christ has Been to Me!
Pastor Rockey
P.S. I am now serving as vacancy pastor at Anchorage
Lutheran Church in Anchorage.
·
Call Committee – The Executive Leadership
Team (ELT) of Anchorage Lutheran has re-started the call process. This
committee consists of Lynn Boots, Danielle Bowman, Caleb Fluege, Tim and Genae
Meerstein, Alexa Mix, Joel Mix, Joe Pollock, and Karen Quintieri. Also attending meetings will be ELT
President, Steve Fibranz, DCE Matthew Murphy, Vacancy Pastor Jonathan Rockey,
and Circuit Visitor Tony Schultz. The
committee met on September 10 for a beginning meeting, and again on Sunday,
September 27 after worship to evaluate our self-study. Sundays October 11, 18,
25, members of Anchorage Lutheran have filled out surveys to give feedback a)
on the qualities which Anchorage Lutheran desires in a pastor, and b) what kind
of ministry happens at Anchorage Lutheran.
The Call
committee met again November 9 to look at the results of these surveys,
and to plan the next steps in calling a full-time pastor for Anchorage Lutheran.
The call
committee is making progress in the process toward calling a new pastor. PLEASE PRAY FOR GOD’S BLESSINGS ON THE
CALL PROCESS AT ALC!
·
Consecration (Stewardship) Sunday – Consecration
Sunday is a Stewardship Emphasis which has been providing education on God’s provision
for us, His guidance for Christian Stewardship, and will give ALC members an
opportunity to consider and plan ways to respond to God’s grace in their
lives.
In worship on November
15, ALC members will have an opportunity in worship to respond to God’s
love. Afterwards, we will celebrate
with a special meal after worship: apple pork loin, au gratin potatoes,
garlic parmesan green beans, salad, rolls, and apple crisp ala mode!
Please plan
now to be part of this growth opportunity.
Bible classes –
·
In our Sunday morning Bible Study we are studying
“The Lord’s Prayer.” PLEASE FEEL
FREE TO JOIN US IN BIBLE STUDY ON SUNDAY MORNINGS in the fellowship hall at
8:45 a.m.!
·
New Member Class? –On October 4, I began teaching
an Adult Membership Class after late worship.
The class has so far studied Creation, Sin, Salvation, Heaven and Hell,
and the Word of God. This class is not
only a way for non-members to join Anchorage Lutheran, but also a good
refresher for current members.
However, schedules
are difficult! And, there are
others who might now like to join this class. Therefore, we are discussing classes
on a single day when we can go over all the material. In addition, we would offer zoom access to
the class. The class would be recorded
and available online.
Please watch
for more announcements.
Other Activities of Faith:
·
AS PART OF OUR SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY ON THE LORD’S
PRAYER we are also discussing ways to encourage prayer opportunities and
ministry at Anchorage Lutheran.
o The
plan is to start a prayer chain.
Administrative Assistant, Amanda Voshul is working on this. Please let her know if you would like to be
part of this prayer ministry.
o We
are working to have opportunities for prayer.
We plan to have set times to meet in the library with someone who will
pray with and for us.
o These
are ideas right now. We are working on the
details.
·
I am again taking a two-year journey with my
Lord, by reading through the Scriptures using the “Today’s Light Devotional
Bible.” On Tuesday, November 10, I read
Psalms 18-22. The Psalms are AMAZING as God’s people share their heart with the
Lord and wait on His response of wisdom and love.
You are welcome
to join in this journey of reading God’s Word.
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, Friends, and Fishing!
·
FISHING - I did NOT go fishing this past
week. However,
o I
did check the ice on Seventeen Mile Lake.
I may be able to ice fish soon.
Here are a few pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/EuaoAMU4cqUUaiUC9
o I
expect to go winter feeder king fishing on Wednesday, November 11, with my
friend, Fred Vasilie! 😊
·
I took another walk with my dog, Mat, in Hatcher
Pass on Saturday, November 7. It is
interesting to consider the change in the weather and terrain the last month,
from fall to winter. It is STILL beautiful! Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/h515E8HRaYB5tuNJ6
·
As I shared previously, my personal information
was hacked and financial fraud was attempted.
We are learning we cannot share everything! However, we may be near the end of recovering
our finances. ☹
P.P.P.S. Travel
to Lutherland? – We only had 4 people respond that the wanted
to and could go with us on a Lutherland Tour next June, 2027. Actually, a number of people contacted us and
were interested but our dates did not fit their schedules.
At
this time Kathy and I are now leaning toward simply making this trip our own 50th
anniversary celebration!
*******
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. (I finished for
now serving as Assistant to the Pastor for First Lutheran Church in
Gainesville, FL. I am now serving Anchorage Lutheran Church as Vacancy Pastor.)
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, Anchorage Lutheran Church, Anchorage, 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)
