Memorial Day - A Father's Love

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

Have you ever heard of Perry Harris?  I had never heard of him until this past Thursday either.  I read about Harris on the internet after arriving early Houston Junior Middle School as I was waiting to present an award at the 8^th grade Promotion ceremony. 

 

Perry Harris was 14 year old boy, about the same age as some of the 8^th grade graduates to whom I spoke.  Harris was disabled in some way (we don’t know how), and serving in the union army during the Civil War.  Abraham Lincoln received a telegram from Perry’s Father, Colonel Thomas Harris, asking for his son to be released from service.  Lincoln responded on the telegram with a handwritten note.  “Let this boy be discharged.  A. Lincoln.”  All this has come to light because this note went on sale this week.

 

What a poignant story about a father’s love for his son, and the mercy and wisdom of a President!  How appropriate that we read about this account the week before the Memorial Day holiday.

 

First of all, I hope this story can remind us all of the sacrifices that service people and their families make to serve the rest of us.  On this Memorial Day Weekend we remember those who gave their lives to protect our freedoms.  But, it is not just the service people who sacrifice.  Their families also sacrifice in time away from each other, and in many other ways.  Perhaps you recently heard me read in worship the note we received from Peter Isackson.  Peter is a member of St. John and serving on his 4^th deployment in Iraq or Afghanistan.  He is missing his family and they are missing him.  We are the beneficiaries of the sacrifice of Peter and his family.  Thanks to all who serve and sacrifice so we can experience freedom!!!  (Peter’s note is posted on the military bulletin board in the narthex.) 

 

Please pray for Peter and for all our service people who serve us.  God answers prayers.  I personally pray for Peter and other service people that God would protect them in body and in spirit.

 

But, this story about Perry Harris also tells me about the love of a father for his son.  Imagine a Colonel in the army requesting that his son be discharged.  It makes perfect sense to me.  But, in some ways this had to go against the very life of a career military man.  Yet, Colonel Harris’ love for his son, Perry, caused a telegram to be sent that ended up in the hands of the president.

 

Now, think of the fact that Jesus is the Son of God, yet God sent Jesus to sacrifice for us.  We know that God the Father loves His Son, Jesus, with a divine godly love.  That love is beyond our understanding.  So, how much must God love us if He sent His only Son to die for us???  Colonel Harris asked for his son’s discharge.  God loves us so much He sent His son to die and rise for us!

 

When we know we are loved in this way by our heavenly Father, it makes us love Him in return and helps us to want to serve Him with all our lives. 

 

By the way, Perry Harris was discharged from the army.  That discharge took place on April 15, 1865, which just happens to be the day that John Wilkes Booth shot and killed President Lincoln.

 

Lord God, our Heavenly Father, we pray for all those in the military and for their families.  We especially pray for those in places of danger.  We pray your loving protection on them in body and spirit.  And, Heavenly Father, help us to know the depth of your love for us, that you sent your only Son to die for us.  Bless us that we might live in your love now and eternally.  Amen.

 

A Child of God, Thankful for the Sacrifices which bless me,

Pastor Jonathan

 

 

P.S.  Here is an article about the note which is being sold. 

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/05/23/newly-discovered-lincoln-letter-shows-his-civil-side-during-wartime/

 

 

****

 

ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’ -   I am sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I have.  (I am always adding new names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first time.)  However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message. . . Or, if you know someone who would like to receive one of these e-mails, please send me their e-mail address.

 

****

Thanking God for the Partnership with other Christian Servants

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

This year many St. John members are using a “Gratitude Journal” in our daily devotions.  This journal is a tool to help us remember to thank God for the daily blessings in our life, blessings that we might otherwise forget.  I think you would like to know that there is a somewhat quiet reason for joy and thanks going on right in our midst.  However, not many realize the depth of the reason for joy.  And, to a certain extent the silence about this blessing is by design.

 

On Thursday night we had our last supervision meeting during the school year for our Stephen Ministry at St. John.  Some of you know that Stephen Ministry is a planned effort of distinctively Christian care giving in a Christian congregation. Stephen Ministers receive 6 months of training in skills like listening, confidentiality, and bringing the love of Jesus to the difficult situations in life.  After training, Stephen Ministers are assigned to people who are willing to have a Christian friend confidentially walk with them through a life challenge.  Stephen Ministers have a goal of meeting weekly with their “Care Receiver” for about an hour a week in order to be a Christian friend during the challenges of being a child of God in a world of sin and trouble.

 

Stephen Ministers also meet twice a month for supervision and continued training.  (During the summer months, St. John Stephen Ministers meet only once a month.)  In these supervision meetings, Stephen Ministers share their ministry with other Stephen Ministers in a way that does not reveal who their care receiver is, but in a way that lets other Stephen Ministers know the challenges facing this caring relationship.  The other Stephen Ministers then use the knowledge they have from their training and experience to help the individual Stephen Minister to be faithful in bringing God’s love to their planned caring relationship.

 

This may all sound somewhat technical, but I share this to tell you a reason that I am thankful for the quiet blessings that are happening in our midst.  As the St. John Stephen Ministers met in supervision this past Thursday and shared the challenges of their confidential Christian caring relationships, it was evident to all those present how God is working in good ways in the lives of His people.  In spite of the many challenges of life, those receiving the care were blessed because God was bringing His love through our Stephen Ministers.  During supervision on Thursday night we all had a moment of joyful realization that God is bringing His love and help in powerful ways in our midst. 

 

I am reminded of the words of St. Paul written to his fellow Christians in Philippi.  “ 3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,” (Philippians 1:3-5)

 

Notice two reasons for which Paul gives thanks to God.  First, he is obviously thankful for his fellow Christians.  God’s plan for His children is that we not only need God and His love and forgiveness and help, but we also need other children of God to help us in our difficult walk of faith.  But, the other reason Paul gives thanks is the partnership in the gospel he shared with the people in Philippi.  A Christian congregation is made up of many people of God with many gifts and abilities.  What a blessing to work with others who are gifted to share the forgiving and saving love of Jesus.

 

On Friday morning, a reason for thanks I wrote in my Gratitude Journal was our Stephen Ministers.  So how about you?  Who is blessing you with the love of God?  Why not tell them what Paul told the Philippians?  “I thank my God every time I remember you.”

 

A Child of God, Thankful for the Gifts of God in the People of God,

Pastor Jonathan

 

 

P.S. Please note below that the lady who shared the “Gratitude Journal” with the members of St. John has a request of rental housing for members of her family.

 

 

****

 

ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’ -   I am sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I have.  (I am always adding new names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first time.)  However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message. . . Or, if you know someone who would like to receive one of these e-mails, please send me their e-mail address.

 

****

 

 

 

Guilt and Godly Repentance

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

Do you ever feel like everything that goes wrong in your life is your fault?  “What did I do this time?”  This feeling of guilt is not uncommon, whether people know about God or not.

 

I confess to feeling some guilt recently.  It’s a long story, but I’ll tell it.  On March 21 I had my oil changed, and so I had my studded tires taken off my car and my summer tires put on at that time to avoid the rush.  You may remember the big snow on March 23 for Palm Sunday.  I mentioned that in my Kiwanis meeting on March 26, to which someone said, jokingly, “What do you expect from a Chechako (new person to Alaska)?”  I pointed out I’ve been in Alaska over 20 years.  So I asked, “How long does it take till you’re not considered Chechako?” I was told, “Until you get smart.”  Oh, Oh.  Please remember all this was said in fun, but I confess there was still a shadow of guilt in the background.

 

Then, the day after Easter I got some long needed new tires for my wife’s car.  I should have learned from previous experience, I guess.  You know the large snow storm that hit us on April 6, 7, 8, and 9.  There are still remains of that storm in piles along the roads.

 

Then, on April 22 I bought a new lawn mower.  I was replacing a mower I bought in 1999.  You guessed it.  We had snow on Tuesday, April 23.  I have no answer for the reason for the snowfall on Saturday, May 4.  But Gerry Zellar piped up and said it was his fault.  He’d been to Minnnesota for his dad’s 90^th birthday and experienced multiple late snow storms in his short visit there.  As soon as he arrived home we were blessed with snow on Saturday.  He was feeling shadowy unnecessary guilt, even if he said those words jokingly.

 

My wife has another theory.   My lawn mower purchase was not necessarily smooth, so I have kept working on that purchase into May.  I took my grandson and granddaughter, Jake and Emma, fishing last Monday, May 6.  Usually, the ice is safe into the third week of April, but after that the ice gets rotten and its best not to risk the safety of the ice.  But, on Monday, May 6, I had to use the extension on my power auger to drill through 45” of solid ice at Seventeen Mile Lake near Sutton!!!  Kathy says, “We’re going to have the coldest summer on record because you bought a new lawnmower.” 

 

Guilt is a real emotion.  There is reason for our guilt.  We have all strayed from God’s loving direction, and our sinful actions do have consequences.  Sometimes those consequences are immediately obvious.  And sometimes the consequences of sin are still there, but not as obvious.

 

But, guilt can be twisted.  Obviously my tire changing and lawn mower buying did not affect the weather (right?).  When we know our failings we can sometimes over-imagine the results of our sin, sort of like my stories about the snow.  Our enemy can use this guilt.  The name “devil” means slanderer or accuser.  God’s enemy can take the knowledge of our sin and our guilt.  He can accuse us and lie to us that God cannot love us because of our sin.  Our guilt can turn us away from God, contrary to God’s desire.

 

But, there is another, healthy side to guilt.  In today’s world that is so full of selfish pride and arrogance, our guilt can be a balance to worldly arrogance and the knowledge of our sin can keep us humble.  In fact, knowing our sin can point us toward God as Savior, instead of pointing us away from God as judge.  In 2 Corinthians 7:10, God inspired Paul to write, “10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”  I know I am a sinner and my sin has consequences.  But, I know I have a Savior.  Jesus died to pay for my sin, and God forgives me and saves me as I confess my sin and turn to Jesus as my Savior. 

 

I guess if you want to blame me for the late Spring, I have broad shoulders.  When we have a Savior we can admit our failings and turn to God’s forgiving and loving direction.

 

A Child of God, Knowing my Sin and Knowing God’s forgiveness,

Pastor Jonathan

 

P.S.  I thought of writing about Mothers’ Day, but I will be preaching on that tomorrow.

 

P.P.S.  Here are some pictures from our fishing outing.  https://plus.google.com/photos/114993745799525883148/albums/5876821244194544593?banner=pwa

 

 

****

 

ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’ -   I am sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I have.  (I am always adding new names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first time.)  However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message. . . Or, if you know someone who would like to receive one of these e-mails, please send me their e-mail address.

 

****

 

"But as for you . . . "

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

The story is told about a new pastor at a church in a small town in the Mid-west.  The pastor got on a bus, gave the driver some money for the fare, but then received more change back from the driver than he should have received.  He looked at the change and realized the driver’s mistake.  The pastor pointed out the mistake to the driver and gave him back the extra money.  The driver told the pastor, “That wasn’t a mistake.  I’m a member of the congregation where you are newly pastor.  Most other people would have just kept the extra change.  I just wanted to see if you lived what you preached.” 

 

God has a plan for how His children should live, and it is not always like the rest of the world lives.  God expects His people to be different because we are His children and follow His direction.  Recently my personal devotions have taken me through the book of Deuteronomy and into Joshua.  There was one phrase in Deuteronomy that caught my attention for the first time, and that phrase has stuck with me.  Please look at Deuteronomy 18:14 to see this short phrase of four small words.  “The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so.”

 

“But as for you.”  God knows that others in the world might live by different standards.  God’s people are expected to be different.  God’s people are called to live with honesty and righteousness, with faith and love.  The rest of the world around us may live for what feels good today.  They may live for what they want, no matter what God says.  “But as for you,”  and as for me, God calls us to a different standard.

 

The problem is that God’s people face the same desires and temptations to selfishness that everyone else faces.  The Israelites in the Old Testament were supposed to holy, separated for the Lord.  But they often failed to live according to God’s standard.  We face temptations when everyone else acts selfishly to act in selfish ways rather than to act in righteousness.  How can we be different? 

 

The thing in life that makes God’s children different is that we know God’s love and that love changes our hearts.  On the night He was betrayed Jesus told His disciples, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35)

 

When we know that we deserve punishment because of our selfishness and sin, but God instead loved us by sending His Son to die and rise for us, that changes our hearts.  When we know God’s love, we want to serve God rather than act in selfishness.  When we know God’s love, we want to act differently than the rest of the world around us, and we want to act differently than our sinful desires would cause us to act.

 

The pastor in the story above was not always perfect, he was forgiven. The pastor in the story above did not act differently because he knew this was a critical test of his leadership, but His heart had been changed by God’s love in Jesus.

 

I pray that God’s children today know God’s call.  “But as for you” who know God gave His Son for you, seek God’s help to live in honor and righteousness, in faith and in love.

 

A Child of God, Seeking to be different from the world around me,

Pastor Jonathan

 

****

 

ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’ -   I am sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I have.  (I am always adding new names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first time.)  However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message. . . Or, if you know someone who would like to receive one of these e-mails, please send me their e-mail address.

 

****