Dear Fellow Children of God,
The last couple of weeks have been unusual, and somewhat
disappointing for our family, because this is the Advent in Christmas
season. When we returned to Alaska from
our trip to Florida we had a full slate of plans laid out as part of our Advent
and Christmas observance. I was going to
preach at St. John on Sunday, December 6, and I was to conduct a funeral in Soldotna
on December 12. I also planned to teach Saturday
confirmation classes. Kathy planned going
back to work at the hospital. We would
see family, buy Christmas gifts, and attend worship, all in preparation for our
Christmas celebration. Last year we
returned from Germany on December 10 and still accomplished all our
business. Surely, this year, returning
December 4, we could enjoy tackling all these tasks and accomplishing these opportunities.
But, perhaps you know that all those plans changed with
Kathy’s positive test for coronavirus. Her symptoms have not been too bad, but for
a while she daily faced headaches, chills, body aches, and fatigue. Even though my test results were negative, I
could not go out in public until I waited the period we were told by the state
public health nurse, and until I was tested again, and received a negative test
result. Kathy and I have eaten in
separate rooms, we have slept in separate beds, and we wore masks in our own
home around one another. I didn’t preach
on December 6. I did not conduct the
funeral on December 12, though we did find some alternative solutions. And while I was freed from quarantine later
on Saturday, December 12, Kathy is not free until the afternoon of December
16. We haven’t seen our grandkids,
except by computer. We have not bought
Christmas presents. All our plans
changed. All of this is disappointing.
But, I heard something yesterday from my friend, Eva
Cohnen-Brown, which struck my heart of faith.
Eva quoted a poem written by a friend of hers during a rough patch of
life. “You know what? In spite of all the disappointments, Jesus
Still Came!” Yes, the Son of God did
leave heaven and came to this world because He loves us. He came to bring love from the Creator and Lord
of All. Jesus came in humility, bringing
grace to a world stuck in selfishness, greed, hatred, sin, and death. Jesus came because we are sinners who cannot
save ourselves. The disappointments Kathy
and I faced are small. But in those disappointments, “Jesus Still Came.”
We are now receiving Christmas cards from others in the
mail which include many newsy letters of family happenings. These letters contain much good news, but
also disappointments in the lives of friends and family. One of our friends, a pastor in Kansas, has
developed dementia. His wife writes that
she visits him in the Veterans home but, because of COVID, has to talk through
a window. He is already confused and
this confuses him more. What sad news
about a good friend! Another person
wrote to us about the divorce of her son whom I baptized, and about the custody
struggles he has faced. Still another good
friend we saw in February wrote that he had contracted a pretty serious case of
COVID in November. These disappointments
far outstrip the minor inconveniences Kathy and I faced. But you know what? “Jesus Still Came!!”
When Jesus was born it was a low point in the history of the
people of Israel. The country had been
conquered and was occupied by Roman soldiers.
The local reigning king was a cruel despot. Many of the religious leaders were corrupt
and self-serving. God’s people were, in
Jesus’ words, like “sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36)
The truth is, Jesus did not just come to bring God’s righteousness
and justice, to bring God’s love and mercy, to bring God’s forgiveness and
salvation, in spite of the sin and the problems of the world. Jesus came because of the sin and
death that infect all our lives. Perhaps
Galatians 4 says it best. “4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of
woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law,
so that we might receive adoption as sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5) The words of Titus 3 give us another picture of
God’s Christmas grace in the undeserved gift of Jesus. “3 For we ourselves
were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and
pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one
another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our
Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in
righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration
and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly
through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his
grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:3-7) Our sins have led to the disappointments, troubles, and death
in our lives. But, because we cannot
help ourselves, “Jesus Still Came!”
Our world seems to be a mess right now. People are turning from God, from His wisdom
and love. Our country and the nations of
the world are divided and at odds with each other. The coronavirus has hurt many, especially the
poor and marginalized. I am reading the
book of Revelation now in my daily devotions and wonder how much of today’s
news stories are fulfillments of the Revelation prophecies. But, in our messed-up world, where we are our
own worst enemies, “Jesus Still Came!!”
Into a world of sin and death Jesus brings grace and salvation, joy and
hope. He gives us forgiveness and love because
we need it. He gives us forgiveness and
love so that we can share that grace of God with others, and so we can make a Christmas
difference in our troubled world, and in the lives of those around us.
I pray for each of you that you know the Christmas truth that
Jesus, the Son of God, did indeed come that first Christmas. I pray this Christmas truth gives you hope
and joy and peace this year, in spite of any disappointments you face. I pray the Christmas gift of Jesus’
forgiveness and love help you to share that grace and love with others. Because in the midst of all our own failures
and all our disappointments, “Jesus Still Came!” And that is real reason to say, “MERRY
CHRISTMAS!”
A Child of God, Thankful that in our Troubled and
Messed-Up Lives, Jesus Still Came,
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. Kathy is doing significantly better as she recovers from the
coronavirus. She has not had a fever in
days, and her symptoms are getting much better. According to the public health
nurse she is free from quarantine today, Wednesday, December 16, at 4:00
p.m. (How do they choose a time?)
P.P.S. One of the
things we can do even during quarantine is chores around the house. I put up outside Christmas lights, and we cut
and decorated our tree. Here are a couple of pictures of our tree. https://photos.app.goo.gl/tL22tJALK5uJq42J7
P.P.P.S. I did go
ice fishing on Friday and Saturday. (I
was going fishing Monday, but decided not to fish in the wind.) Here are pictures from my Saturday trip. https://photos.app.goo.gl/CadQzFt9GmVSKozq5
*****
ABOUT THIS DEVOTION - I am now retired from serving as
senior pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Palmer, AK. My weekly
devotion was previously titled, "Thoughts from the Pastor."
However, with life's changes I now call the devotion "Journeys Through
Life as a Child of God." I am only sending this message to those who
have asked to receive it. If you know someone else who desires to receive
this message, have them e-mail me at jonrock53@mtaonline.net. I will
include them on my distribution list. You can also view this message on my
Facebook page.
HOWEVER,
A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME WHY THEY ARE NO LONGER RECEIVING MY
DEVOTIONS. Since I’m only sending these e-mails to people who ask for them,
many are no longer receiving these messages. BUT, if you read this on
Facebook and would like to receive these devotions by e-mail, or if you know
someone who would like to receive these devotions, send me an e-mail at
jonrock53@mtaonline.net, and I will add you to my distribution list.
*******
Jonathan Rockey
Child of God
Husband, Father, Son, Grandfather
Pastor Emeritus, St. John Lutheran Church
E-Mail: jonrock53@mtaonline.net
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