Dear Members and Friends of St. John,
You know that the Thanksgiving Day national holiday was observed
last week. So, what are YOU thankful
for? You might be shaking your head and
asking, “Pastor, isn’t that holiday past?
Shouldn’t we be focusing on something other than Thanksgiving?”
The Thanksgiving holiday may be in the rear view mirror
for this year, but God’s children are called to give thanks to Him at all times. God “reminds us not to forget” thanking and
praising Him, even when it is not Thanksgiving Day. One of my favorite Psalms is Psalm 103. The first 5 verses of this Psalm from David use
these words to call us to thank and praise God:
1 Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being,
praise his holy name.
2
Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits--
3
who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
4
who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
5
who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like
the eagle's. (Psalm 103:1-5)
David must have been especially aware of God’s grace in
his life when, inspired by God’s Spirit, he wrote this Psalm. So in Psalm 103 we are called to praise God with all that we are. We are “reminded not to forget” ALL God’s
blessings in our life. And, God,
speaking through David, even gives us a list in this Psalm of reasons for
thankfulness. We can be thankful for
forgiveness and for healing (v. 3), for eternal life and for spiritual blessings
(v. 4), and we can be thankful for material blessings (v. 5). God is good and gracious at all times and we,
in turn, want to be thanking Him all
our lives.
So, back to my beginning question, What ARE you thankful
for?”
First of all, even after a holiday with moist turkey and
family gathered, I am eternally grateful for God’s grace and love in
Jesus. I am a sinner and deserve none of
God’s love. But, as I read Psalm 103 I
know that my forgiveness, my salvation, and that all my blessings are given
because of God’s saving grace in His Son Jesus Christ. God’s love in His Son helps me to see and to receive
all my other spiritual and physical blessings.
At this time I am also especially thankful for faithful
doctors and modern medicine. On
Wednesday, November 22, I had arthroscopic surgery on my left knee. This was not a major knee replacement. But I had this surgery before on my right knee
and it took me from 6 months to a year to fully recover. This time my left knee had failed worse
before surgery than my right knee did before the previous surgery. However,
after surgery this time, I was able to be active and out of the house each
day. I even went fishing on Monday after
the Wednesday surgery (and caught a few fish). So, I am thankful for our local hospital, and for
God’s gifts in modern medicine. I wrote the
last few weeks about our culture crumbling.
But I am thankful for all who continue to faithfully serve God and who
serve each of us on a daily basis with their chosen professions and jobs. I’m thankful for doctors and nurses, for
honest businessmen and for those who work hard in government offices to help
others. I’m thankful for faithful teachers,
for office managers, and those picking up our trash. God blesses us with other people in our lives
who serve faithfully and honestly. And I am thankful.
I am thankful for the grace of God when unexpected trials
happen. This past Tuesday, November 28, five
local Lutheran pastors were driving to the Kenai peninsula for an early morning
meeting. As they left Potters Marsh and
were driving along Turnagain Arm they hit a patch of black ice and ended up colliding
with the rock cliff across the highway.
Two pastors ended up being treated at the hospital and released, but no
one received life-threatening injuries.
Today I am thankful there was no on-coming traffic, that there were
faithful first responders, and that my friends and God’s servants are safe. God is good and gracious, and I am grateful.
I am thankful for the grace of God seen in worship. On Sunday, November 26, God acted in the
baptism of Remington Nelsen. What a joy
to see God reach down and call a child to His eternal family! But God is
present every time two or three gather in His name. So I give thanks!
I’m thankful for family.
In the midst of preparing for a busy Thanksgiving Day our new son-in-law
to be, Aaron Smith, put up new shelves in the little space under our stairway. This cramped space that had stored a “pile”
of stuff is now organized and accessible.
It seems like a small thing, but to a neat freak like myself, this new
organization touched my heart. Even
better, is having a young man who loves our daughter, who is joining our family,
and who wants to help. God is gracious
and I give thanks.
I have many more reasons for thanks. I know others who have recently received good
news from doctors. I visited a young man
in prison on Tuesday, and it is a blessing to see how his faith has
matured. We sadly lost a friend to death
on Saturday, November 25, but this child of God knew her Lord and is with Him
now. I give thanks for each of these
gifts of God.
Actually, giving thanks AFTER Thanksgiving Day may be even
more meaningful than going around the table on Thanksgiving Day and stating
reasons for thanks. That is a worthwhile
exercise, but on Thanksgiving Day thankfulness is expected. However, we always have reason to thank our
Lord. Right now, like David my heart
overflows. Thank you, Lord!!
A Child of God, Overwhelmed by the Grace of God and
Giving Him Thanks,
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. Remington
Nelsen was baptized on Sunday, November 26.
Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/0CICLDi3VbSkCkD02
P.P.S. I am
thankful that the five pastors traveling to Funny River are safe after their
vehicle spun out of control into the rock wall just past Potter Marsh. Here are pictures of the vehicle. https://photos.app.goo.gl/hczPTqCj9vrdO0IW2
P.P.P.S. Here are some
pictures of our daughter Mary and her fiancée, Aaron. https://photos.app.goo.gl/6WWL9gx14zlYUJKm1 Their wedding is December 30 at 2:00 p.m.. The December newsletter will include an
invitation to all St. John members. Also, in this family picture, Aaron is on
the right standing behind Mary. https://photos.app.goo.gl/woHZVweoHL3QdtoT2
P.P.P.P.S. (whew –
That’s a lot of “PS’s”) After
arthroscopic knee surgery on Wednesday I got to go fishing on Monday. Here are the two rainbow trout I kept. https://photos.app.goo.gl/Swvv0hwPjIuW7lS92
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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 regularly
adding new names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this
e-mail for the first time.) However, if you do not want to receive this
e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for
this message.
******
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