Dear Members and Friends of St.
John,
This summer I gained a renewed respect for public
servants who go to work every day putting their lives on the line for others. Specifically I am now thinking of
firefighters. On June 5 my daughter,
Mary, and I were driving down to the Kenai, and saw the smoke that marked the
beginning of the Swan Lake fire. But, on
June 24-26 I drove down to Sterling and back myself. On the way down to Sterling there was some
smoke and minor delays. But, the trip
back to Palmer was memorable.
First, traffic stopped a number of times just east of
Sterling as we travelers waited in smoky conditions for a possible trip through
the affected area between Sterling and Cooper Landing. It is interesting to get out of your car and
hear the conversation and the conjecture.
One person talked about the road being closed, so some people turned
their cars around and drove back toward Sterling and Soldotna. Another person talked about a previous wait
of 9 hours to get through the fire.
Others just visited and waited, not sure if we would get through, or
when that might be.
Finally, after about 2 hours of waiting, traffic began to
move. However, there was so much smoke I
personally had trouble seeing the cars in front of me. In addition, there were billowing plumes of
smoke from active fires, seemingly only 50 or 100 yards off the highway behind
some other trees. I glimpsed a burned
path close to the road where a back fire had been set by the firefighters. At one point, just north of the highway I
looked and saw a spruce tree with a large crown of branches which was erupting
in flame, seemingly not more than 50 yards off the road I was traveling. The limited visibility and heavy smell of
smoke continued throughout my journey back through Cooper Landing, through Turnagain
Pass, even around Turnagain Arm.
Throughout the wait and the trip I saw vehicles with fire
fighters driving back and forth, and even into the woods for the fire. No wonder there were signs on businesses and
schools saying, “Thank you Firefighters.”
One church had a sign saying, “Praying for the firefighters.” These men and women put their lives on the
line to keep the fire in check, but also to protect the life and the property
of people who live on the Kenai Penisula.
And this fire is not even the biggest fire on the Kenai in the last 5 years. The Funny River fire in 2014 was bigger. It’s just that everyone driving from
Anchorage to Soldotna did not have to travel that route as they did for this
Swan Lake fire.
However, those who fight fires are not the only ones who
willingly risk their lives to protect and serve others. Policemen leave their house everyday, not
sure if they will return home, especially in today’s times of division. Those in the military know when they enlist
that they face the possibility of armed conflict. Living in Alaska we know that many of those
who serve on JBER have given of their time fighting for our country, and some
have indeed given their very lives. And
others face danger on their jobs as well.
For example, it is often when the temperatures drop and the winds are
blowing that linemen climb poles and work with dangerous high voltage electricity.
I personally wouldn’t want that
job. Doctors and nurses, and other
health workers, expose themselves to communicable diseases every day. We are truly blessed by the willing, sacrificial
service of many in our community!
However, it often seems that we in the public who receive
this service don’t know of the sacrifice these public servants make for
us. Or, perhaps we ignore what these
people do to serve us. Worse yet, we may
take their sacrifice for granted. But,
our lives are safer because these dedicated people go to work every day.
Jesus calls this sacrificial
service for others “love.” 12 My command is this: Love each
other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay
down his life for his friends. (John 13:14-15) The reason that Jesus can tell us to “Love
each other as HE has loved us, is that He is the one who really loved us, the
one who really laid down His life for us.
Jesus came to this world knowing He would face opposition, and
suffering, and even a cruel, unjust, painful death. Yet, Jesus tells us in that He laid down His
life for us willingly. 11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for
the sheep. . . 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--
only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my
own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.
This command I received from my Father." (John 10:11, 17-18)
How do you respond to
those who have served you sacrificially?
Jesus calls us to believe in Him as our Savior, and to follow Him with our
lives. But, in this verse, Jesus also
recognizes others who lay down their lives for us. Their sacrifice is love.
This year I am
especially thankful for our firefighters!
How about you?
A Child of God, Thankful that Others have Sacrificed for
Me – Hoping to Respond with Similar Service,
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. Here are some
pictures from my trip back from the Kenai on June 26. I ended up missing Wednesday worship that
night because of the delay and had to get Randy Luffberry to fill in for
me. Thanks, Randy! https://photos.app.goo.gl/nTeDGT3a6TFDHDa66
P.P.S. Last Week’s e-mail met delivery problems with the
spam blocker from MTA. I wrote the
devotion and sent the e-mail. I
understand some of you did get the e-mail devotion. Most of us did not receive last week’s e-mail. I’m am still working on the problem with
MTA. However, my devotions are available
on the church Facebook page, and on my personal Facebook page. If we are not FB “friends” you can friend me
and then you’ll have access there.
P.P.P.S. I did get
to go fishing a couple of times last week.
·
Here are some pictures of Mary and I fishing on
the Kenai for Red salmon on Thursday, August 9.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/gtV3hpr2hirbiwc56
·
I took the Walton family fishing on Monday,
August 12, on the Little Susitna River.
They had won a trip with me at the youth auction. The summer has been hot and dry. The water was low. After 6 or 7 hours Theresa and the kids went
home. Tim and I kept fishing and caught
1 silver. https://photos.app.goo.gl/DTf9BA2yeCgtibZq8
P.P.P.P.S. As part
of my community involvement I have been part of the Palmer Kiwanis Club while
pastor in Palmer. My four children and I
all played in the Kiwanis golf tournament on Friday evening, August 9. Here are a couple of pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/CwEfWcT1ahFGq7xC7
******
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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