SURPRISED at How God Sees Me and Chooses to Use Me!

 

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

Recently I was looking through my high school yearbook from my senior year.  Many friends had written those inscriptions which friends write in yearbooks.  But, I was surprised to see a message from my Physics teacher, Mr. Cooper.  I had been a pretty good student.  I remember helping friends with their work.  But, admittedly, I also often had a cocky attitude which could rub teachers the wrong way.  With today’s humility of old age about the foolishness of my youth, I was surprised to read that Mr. Cooper wrote, “Jonathan, think well of yourself.  So many others do.”  Wow! That caused me to pause.  I could have understood if my teacher thought I was a young kid with a big head.  Instead, he wrote a message of encouragement and commendation!  That was a surprise.

 

How does our Heavenly Father see us?  How does God see you?  It is easy to go to our failures and our sins and understand if God sees us primarily as a disappointment.  After all, He created us in love to live in a relationship of worship and service with Him.  But, in pride and rebellion we have gone our own ways, causing ourselves trouble and dishonoring the name of our Lord.

 

Would you be surprised to know that God looks on your differently.  Consider these words from 1 Peter 2:9-10.  “9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”  God inspired Peter to write this message to Christians in “the dispersion.”  These Christians had not necessarily been of the chosen Jewish race.  They could have thought of themselves as unimportant in the eyes of the God of Israel.  But, through Jesus, God saw the people of this church differently. 

 

We can understand that God might see us as those who were “not a people,” as those who “had not received mercy.”  After all, our sin and rebellion deserve reproach.  But, God instead sees us and considers us as “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God that [we] may declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light.”  I should know better, but it is still surprising to me that our Lord and Creator considers us in such a loving light!  Therefore, I was also recently surprised to see how God puts this truth into practice. 

 

Many of you know that I have a prayer list for daily and weekly prayers.  In the mornings, I will read my devotional readings from the Bible and then pray for those people or situations which are on my heart, asking God’s wise and loving intervention.  Recently as I was going over the highlighted areas of this list I also received a surprise, perhaps like the surprise I received from my high school yearbook.  It seems that in areas of concern, God is addressing them through my attention.  For example, I had been praying for the Alaska Mission for Christ as new leadership has brought changes.  Somehow, I have ended up leading the teaching of training for Licensed Deacons for AMC.  We are about to finish our class on the Sacraments.  I’m not sure that I thought when I prayed to the Lord about this concern, He would answer this prayer through my actions.

 

I have been praying for Funny River Community Lutheran Church since their pastor took a call and left at the end of September.  As I was looking at my list I realized that I had led worship and preached at Funny River on the second Sunday in January and February.  Again, I’m not sure that I thought when I prayed to the Lord about this concern, He would answer this prayer through my actions.

 

I have prayed for St. John Lutheran Church in Palmer for years, with different concerns on my prayer list as time passes.  On my current list are God’s help for our congregation to deal with all the issues surrounding COVID, and also for help with improving and using technology, an area where I do not have expertise.  But, as I was looking at my list I realized that I had contacted, by phone or e-mail or text message, between 60 and 70 households, just to check in during these COVID times.  That was one of the tasks I was asked to do when the Elders asked me to return to serving part time: to help with those who might “fall through the cracks” as this pandemic makes it more difficult to worship together, and more difficult to do ministry together.  And then, last Wednesday, February 17, in response to discussion in a staff meeting, I invited some of our technology experts to gather together.  The purpose of this meeting was to discuss ways to continue improving our web page, our social media presence, and our ability to live stream worship.  While I have been praying about this issue, I certainly did not expect God to use a non-expert like me in addressing this need!

 

These are just some of the areas where I found God using me to accomplish His work in areas of concern about which I had been praying.  I admit, when I realized this, I was surprised, perhaps even more surprised than when I found that inscription from my high school physics teacher.

 

But should we be surprised when God uses us to do His work?  After all, God created us, and gifted us.  He knows us better than we know ourselves.  God considers us so valuable that He paid the price of sending His only Son to suffer and die for us to save us.  And, as 1 Peter 2 says, God has a purpose for those of us who know our failings, but have been saved by Jesus.  “9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”  In Jesus, God makes those who “were not a people” into “people of God”, surprisingly so that we “may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”  Imagine God can use a sinner like me and like you!

 

So, what have you been praying about?  How might God be using you to do His work, even if you are surprised that God chose you?

 

A Child of God, Surprised How God Sees Me and Chooses to Use Me!

Pastor Jonathan

P.S.  The Annual St. John Shane Woods Memorial Ice Fishing Outing was held on Saturday, February 20 at Seventeen Mile Lake.  The weather was cold and windy.  A number of families couldn’t make it because of illness.  But we still had a turnout of about 45 people, and a great time in God’s Creation.  Here are some pictures.  https://photos.app.goo.gl/DuoNaJfAgSpEmQqGA

P.P.S.  I went fishing in Florida on Tuesday, February 23.  I still had some effects of jet lag, but . . the weather forecast called for a high of 72, and there was not a cloud in the sky.  It was a nice opportunity for winding down.  Here are some pictures.  https://photos.app.goo.gl/vuNvNKyTmzQFc1GJ7

 

P.P.P.S.  Here are some pictures of our dog, Mat, at our friends house, the home of Wayne and Mary Mize.  My wife says Mat is at the “doggy spa!”  More on this in some future week.  https://photos.app.goo.gl/5buRPkhWeN5onCz4A

 

 

*****

ABOUT THIS DEVOTION - I retired at the end of August 2019 from serving as 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.  (Though I am now serving again part-time at St. John as assistant to the pastor.)  Perhaps you also know that I “killed” my computer on November 7, 2020.  In so doing I lost, for a time at least, all my e-mail contacts.  So, I was really goofed up.  Many who were receiving this devotion each week were no longer receiving it.  I tried to rebuild my distribution list, but I am not sure how accurate I have been. 

            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

Pastor Emeritus, St. John Lutheran Church

E-Mail: jonrock53@mtaonline.net

cell phone - 907-841-4066

Home phone - 907-746-5131

Able to Repent BECAUSE God Forgives!

 

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

Dad saw the little boy hit his younger sister.  Dad asked his son, “Why did you hit her?”  The boy did not realize he had been seen and he blurted out, “I didn’t hit her.”  But both Dad and his son knew the denial was a lie.  No one likes to be discovered doing something we know is wrong, not child nor adult.  But, not only don’t we want others to know our failings, we can also be afraid of the consequence of our actions.  So, it is common for us to deny our sin.

 

This denial of guilt does not just happen with children.  How many times in the last 50 years have our nation’s leaders, men and women of both parties, been caught doing something which is wrong, or at least which goes contrary to their own stated values?  You know the public denials from the news stories and from the pages of history.  Again, fear of consequences is one of the driving forces for the lies which deny the truth of their actions.  However, the lies become worse than the actual sin!  It would have been better if they had just admitted their wrong-doing and promised to change their behavior.

 

Such denials are not new in our day, but have their beginning with God’s first children.  When Adam was confronted by God about his disobedience, Adam blamed someone else.   "The woman you put here with me-- she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."  (Genesis 3:12)  Adam pushed blame onto Eve, AND even onto God Himself.  Imagine that!  Adam did not want to face the consequence of his sin.  When the Lord questioned Eve about her part in this sin, she denied her guilt by blaming another, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." (Genesis 3:13)  God had in fact previously stated the consequences for such rebellion.  “. . . when you eat of it you will surely die."  (Genesis 2:17)  No wonder Adam and Eve denied their guilt.  They were not only ashamed, but they were also afraid of the results of their sin and punishment.

 

The Christian Church observes Ash Wednesday on February 17 this year.  This is the start of the penitential season of Lent which lasts for the next 6 Sundays, up to our Easter celebration on April 4.  Because Lent is the time in the church year, prior to Jesus’ resurrection, we focus on the opposition Jesus endured, on the suffering he faced. During Lent we consider the injustice and evil which led to Jesus’ death on the cross.  Since our sin is part of the reason that the Son of God Himself died, this is naturally a special time of repentance.  It is a time to admit our sin, and to turn from that sin and turn to God. 

 

But, it is difficult to admit our failings.  It is tough for children to say, “I did wrong.  I’m sorry.”  Our politicians and leaders often deny their guilt.  And, even though we should confess, it is difficult for children of God to confess our transgressions against our loving Creator and Father.  Sometimes God’s followers even have more difficulty repenting.  We know what we are supposed to do, and not do.  We have learned how we are to love and serve God and others.  Therefore, we do not want to admit our failure.

 

Jesus told a parable about humility and about confession to the people of his time.  Listen to the story from Luke 18:9-14, and see if you also can see a reason that we can confess our sin.

”9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men-- robbers, evildoers, adulterers-- or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' 13 "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' 14 "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

 

The Pharisee ignored and denied his failings before God.  But, denying our sin does us no good.  On February 16 I was driving home from a pastors’ meeting in Anchorage when I heard a “ding” from my dashboard.  I had a low tire and the gage alerted me to my problem.  I had picked up a small piece of snow plow blade in my tire and it was quickly deflating.  I could have ignored the warning, but the tire would only have been destroyed.  I limped into the Palmer Midas and they addressed the problem and fixed the tire. 

 

Likewise, if we deny our sins, things only get worse.  We need to admit our failings in order to bring change to our lives.  Like the tax collector, we have all acted in rebellion, in disobedience, selfishness, greed, lust, and self-indulgence.  We are sinful.  The tax collector humbly confessed his sins.  'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'

 

But, did you hear the words of Jesus that make this confession possible?  Jesus’ explanation to the parable is, "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.”  Jesus came to forgive us and save us.  In His death on the cross, Jesus forgives sins.  The tax collector knew the mercy of God.  Because of this mercy and forgiveness, we can confess

 

When children grow older, and have faced their disobedience, they quickly learn if their parents not only want good behavior, but also if they are forgiving. When a child learns by experience that Mom and Dad are loving and forgiving parents, then the child is more willing to confess their sins. When they admit these sins, they can also face their need for godly change.

 

Jesus says of the tax collector who confessed his sins, "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.”  Knowing that God forgives us for the sake of Jesus’ death on the cross, helps us to understand God’s love, and enables us to confess our sins. 

 

May the sacrificial, forgiving love of God help you in your repentance this Lenten season!

 

A Child of God, Able to Repent Because God Forgives,

Pastor Jonathan

P.S.  “SHANE WOODS MEMORIAL ICE FISHING OUTING” - The St. John Promise Keepers are sponsoring the annual Shane Woods Memorial Ice Fishing Outing on Saturday, February 20.  WE WILL MEET AT NOON AT SEVENTEEN MILE LAKE, north of town off the Glenn Highway.  This outing is for families of all ages and sizes!   We will provide poles, bait, and snacks.

Here is an ADFG map with directions.  Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Also, we are looking for people who would like to help make this a great outing for the kids at St. John.  If you can help, or if you have a snow machine with which you could give rides to children, please contact Eric Wyatt or Pastor Rockey.

 

P.P.S.  The Red Letter Challenge at St. John started with a first devotion on Tuesday February 16.  Over 260 books have been distributed so St. John members and friends can grow together through Jesus’ words.  If you would still like a book please call the church office.

 

P.P.P.S.  I went fishing a number of times this week.  However, though I was on the ice 4 times, I only took pictures on Sunday, February 14, at Aurora Lake in Funny River.  I caught no fish that day, but it was beautiful outside. Here are a few pictures.  https://photos.app.goo.gl/RWAqq7T3jg1udBvKA

 

 

 

 

 

*****

ABOUT THIS DEVOTION - I retired at the end of August 2019 from serving as 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.  (Though I am now serving again part-time at St. John as assistant to the pastor.)  Perhaps you also know that I “killed” my computer on November 7, 2020.  In so doing I lost, for a time at least, all my e-mail contacts.  So, I was really goofed up.  Many who were receiving this devotion each week were no longer receiving it.  I tried to rebuild my distribution list, but I am not sure how accurate I have been. 

            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

Pastor Emeritus, St. John Lutheran Church

E-Mail: jonrock53@mtaonline.net

What Distracts You from the Real Treasure of Life - Jesus?

 

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

On Wednesday, February 10, as I left the Palmer Post Office, I walked to my vehicle and went to get in and drive back to St. John.  My view was somewhat blocked, but I knew where my car was parked, so I walked to the maroon SUV.  However, . . . that SUV wasn’t my vehicle!  My vehicle was next to the SUV I approached.  Both vehicles were maroon.  Both had a similar shape and size.  My vehicle is a Dodge, and the other SUV was a General Motors car.  But, if I hadn’t looked up and noticed where I was going, I might have tried to get into the wrong car.

 

And guess what?  This is not the first time I have approached a vehicle which wasn’t mine.  Last summer I tried to open the door of another SUV parked near me, which again looked surprisingly similar.  When a dog in that car started barking, it got my attention.  Realizing I did not have my dog with me I took a closer look.  Nope, this wasn’t my vehicle.  In fact, after this incident I started looking around and realized how many vehicles look alike.  It is easy, especially for someone not that knowledgeable about different cars, to go choose a vehicle which is not the one I own, or the one I want.

 

We talked in two Bible Classes this past week at St. John about the issue of choosing the wrong treasure.  We discussed being distracted or fooled by treasure, which isn’t the real prize.  In our Tuesday evening Promise Keepers’ Men’s Bible study we read Joshua 1:6-9 and asked ourselves, “What brings real success or make us truly prosperous?  What is the right “way” to live?  What are the real treasures of life?”

 

Then on Wednesday our Lifelight Class on the book of Genesis asked the following question. “Christians are . . . challenged to leave their excess baggage behind in exchange for something better.  How does this challenge apply to you?”  As we considered the answer to this inquiry, we then read Jesus’ explanation to the parable of the sower, or the planter.  Concerning seed which fell among the weeds, Jesus taught, “18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.”  (Mark 4:18-19) Earthly possessions are deceitful.  The things of this world can seem like treasure.  But, do the seeming treasures of this life choke the treasure of God’s word and of His love from our lives?

 

The love God gives us in His Son, the grace and forgiveness we receive through Jesus in this life, the sure promise of eternal life in heaven, are so precious we do not want to miss these gifts.  Consider 2 Corinthians 8:9.  “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”  We have the riches of heaven because of Jesus.  The real treasure of life is Jesus!  But, is there something in your life which seems important, which might really be important, but distracts you from what is most important?  Is there any pleasure, any life goal, any person, which causes you to forget God’s love, or even turn away from Him, even for a little while?

 

Hebrews 12:1-3 gives good advice about throwing off “sin that entangles.”  “1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”   Jesus endured the cross to save us.  Jesus gives the real treasures of life.  It is vital not to be distracted by other treasures that can seem important, which might really be treasure on earth, so that we miss the real prize – the love of God in Jesus.  To think that God Himself went through this for me grabs my attention and points me to what is most important of all.  When I consider the price God paid and the gifts He offers, that “fixes my eyes on Jesus.”  Those are the treasures I want!

 

Other maroon vehicles look like mine.  At times I have tried to go to someone else’s SUV.  But, the car I want is the one I chose, the one I paid for, the one I legally own.  I don’t want someone else’s vehicle, I want mine.  What I want for my life is the love, the grace, the salvation God gives me in Jesus.  I don’t want some other seemingly important thing to draw me away from my Savior.  What distracts you from the real treasure of Life – Jesus?

 

A Child of God, Seeking to Not Be Distracted from Jesus By Other Treasures in Life,

Pastor Jonathan

P.S.  Here is a picture of 2 vehicles next to one another in the parking lot of the post office on Wednesday, February 10.  Mine is the Dodge on the right.  But, when I came out of the post office I went toward the GM vehicle on the left.  https://photos.app.goo.gl/E4zfwM8rePYeKstMA

 

P.P.S.  The St. John Promise Keepers are sponsoring the Shane Woods Memorial Ice Fishing Outing on Saturday, February 20.  WE WILL MEET AT NOON AT SEVENTEEN MILE LAKE, north of town off the Glenn Highway.  This outing is for families of all ages and sizes!  

Here is an ADFG map with directions.  Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Also, we are looking for people who would like to help make this a great outing for the kids at St. John.  If you can help, or if you have a snow machine with which you could give rides to children, please contact Eric Wyatt or Pastor Rockey.

 

P.P.P.S.  I went fishing quite a bit this week.

·       On Thursday, February 4, I went to a favorite lake.  I caught no fish ( I did get one to the surface.) but helped some other guys drill a hole, and got my auger full of water.  Here are pictures of the setting.  https://photos.app.goo.gl/XGRnwJwbA16L4HJW9

 

·       On Friday, February 5, I took Pastor Craig Schultz fishing.  We caught 2 limits of rainbow trout.  But, it was windy and cold and I frostbit my index finger putting frozen bait on the hook.  Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/TAEtmi3WQdsroSUo8

 

·       On Saturday, February 6, I went with Rod and Adam Christiansen to check out a lake for our Shane Woods Ice Fishing Outing.  We fished at Seventeen Mile Lake.  Here are pictures from that outing.  https://photos.app.goo.gl/mYXvJU5a2KPSyEny5

 

·       On Monday, February 8, Kym Miller texted and wanted to go fishing.  Another adventure.  Here are some pictures.  https://photos.app.goo.gl/BMPpPJb6Wy4KDWKV7

 

P.P.P.P.S.  I urge all of you who receive this e-mail to make sure you get a Red Letter Challenge devotional book from St. John to use during the Lenten season with other Christians throughout this penitential season (time of repentance).  You can pick up a book when you attend worship.  Or, you can stop by St. John to get a book.  Or you can even ask to have a book delivered.  The books cost St. John $10.00 each, but the church is trying to get everyone to participate, so only asking $5.00 for each book.  You can donate, or not donate, for your book as you decide is right.  The idea is that everyone is in God’s Word together.

 

 

 

 

*****

ABOUT THIS DEVOTION - I retired at the end of August 2019 from serving as 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.  (Though I am now serving again part-time at St. John as assistant to the pastor.)  Perhaps you also know that I “killed” my computer on November 7, 2020.  In so doing I lost, for a time at least, all my e-mail contacts.  So, I was really goofed up.  Many who were receiving this devotion each week were no longer receiving it.  I tried to rebuild my distribution list, but I am not sure how accurate I have been. 

            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

Pastor Emeritus, St. John Lutheran Church

E-Mail: jonrock53@mtaonline.net

cell phone - 907-841-4066

Home phone - 907-746-5131

Do You Have Any Regrets in Life? Thankful for Reconciliation God Works in Jesus

 

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

Do you have any regrets in life?  Please consider this question and read below.

 

On Tuesday noon, February 2, St. John member Dave Nufer spoke at the meeting of my Palmer Kiwanis Club.  After a light-hearted and informational presentation about Ground Hog Day, Dave then gave heart-felt encouragement to club members, calling on them to cherish the relationships we have.  He pointed out that COVID has put a strain on relationships.  Dave encouraged the club to hold relationships as valuable and to work to keep them alive.  Dave pointed the club to our Lord who loves us and created us for relationships. 

 

Jesus himself was asked, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"  Here was Jesus’ response. “29 The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31 The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."  (Mark 12:28 b – 31)  We do love and serve God by loving others.

 

You know the strain this pandemic has caused for families and friends, on businesses and churches.  Many people are staying at home, following advice they received.  I know some families who did not gather at Easter, or Thanksgiving, or Christmas, because of disease concerns.  Many people are not going out into groups in public, not going to worship services, or to stores.  We do have technology to keep in touch through phones and computers, but it is not the same as being together in person.  Sadly, I recently heard someone say, “I can’t wait to give my mom a hug again.”

 

Then, on Tuesday night I showed my wife a new belt I had purchased.  I pointed out that the old belt I had been using was frayed and falling apart.  Kathy replied naturally, “Things wear out.  It was time for a new belt.”  But, she has also pointed out how long I keep many of my clothes and other possessions.  In fact, I have a jacket and coat that are over 30 years old.  They belonged to my dad’s first cousin, Robert Stender.  Robert passed away and these items of clothing were given to me by my cousin’s daughters in 1991 as our family was driving to Alaska.  So, these items truly are over 30 years old.  That’s a long time to keep a jacket or a shirt even though I recently wore them.  It is not that I need these two items of clothing, I have many others like them.  But, not only do I tend to keep things until they totally wear out, this shirt and jacket are a reminder of Robert.  He was family and I cared about him – I still care about him.  I guess I keep this shirt and this jacket because of that family love.

 

Following Dave’s presentation, and this conversation with my wife, I got to thinking how precious the people in our lives are.  I am not the most demonstrative person when it comes to speaking of love.  But, I deeply care for my wife, my children, and grandchildren.  I care about my family in the rest of the country, whether in Florida, New England, or even Washington.  I have friends I cherish whom I have met in various ways.  And, I truly cannot remember a member of one of the churches I have attended whom I didn’t care for in some way.

 

Now please consider the question above again.  Do you have any regrets in life?  I’ve heard it said that you only regret the choices you did not take advantage of in life.  Personally, I don’t have those regrets.  But, I do know that in my life I have found ways, often unintentionally, to harm relationships, to cause pain to people I care about.  I’ve hurt family; ask my brothers and sister, or my wife and children.  I’ve hurt friends.  Even though the job of pastor is to care for the lambs of Jesus, I do regret times I have hurt the people of God.  You see, we love God by loving others.  God made us for relationships.  Other people are precious gifts of God.  My regrets are times that I have hurt others God put into my life. 

 

God calls us to the truth of what Dave encouraged.  Our most important relationship is with our Lord.  In addition, it is worth the effort to work on relationships with others.  In 2 Corinthians God inspired Paul to write to a church with whom he had some disagreements, “17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

 

God has loved us in Creation, and called us back to His love by the sacrificial suffering and death of His Son, Jesus.  Because we are forgiven, we can forgive.  Because we are reconciled to God, we can work toward reconciliation with others.  Reconciliation may seem impossible, but is possible for a follower of Jesus.  Thankfully, I know this truth from personal experience. 

 

Thanks, Dave, for the reminder of how important other people are in our life.  We are made for one another.  Thank you, Lord, for healing our relationship with you in Jesus.  Heavenly Father, please help each of us in our ministry of reconciliation.

 

A Child of God, Thankful for the Gift of Other People, for Reconciliation God Works in Jesus,

Pastor Jonathan

P.S.  The St. John Promise Keepers are sponsoring the Shane Woods Memorial Ice Fishing Outing on Saturday, February 20.  We are looking for people who would like to help make this a great outing for the kids at St. John.  If you can help, or if you have a snow machine with which you could give rides to children, please contact Eric Wyatt or Pastor Rockey.

 

P.P.S.  I went fishing again this week.

·       On Friday, January, January 29, went fishing with Gerry Zellar.  We did get a couple of maybe / small bites this time.  But nothing was caught.  Here is A picture.  https://photos.app.goo.gl/n21AbyqrndrP9dYj7

 

·       On Sunday, January 31, I took Gaelen Swigart fishing on a local lake near our home.  We only had a few bites.  But we did catch this nice 18” rainbow trout.  We returned it to the water for someone else to catch.    https://photos.app.goo.gl/7Bd9BDyWhPxXANLw5

 

P.P.P.S.  I urge all of you who receive this e-mail to make sure you get a Red Letter Challenge devotional book from St. John to use during the Lenten season with other Christians throughout this penitential season (time of repentance).  You can pick up a book when you attend worship.  Or, you can stop by St. John to get a book.  Or you can even ask to have a book delivered.  The books cost St. John $10.00 each, but the church is trying to get everyone to participate, so only asking $5.00 for each book.  You can donate, or not donate, for your book as you decide is right.  The idea is that everyone is in God’s Word together.

 

 

 

 

*****

ABOUT THIS DEVOTION - I retired at the end of August 2019 from serving as 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.  (Though I am now serving again part-time at St. John as assistant to the pastor.)  Perhaps you also know that I “killed” my computer on November 7, 2020.  In so doing I lost, for a time at least, all my e-mail contacts.  So, I was really goofed up.  Many who were receiving this devotion each week were no longer receiving it.  I tried to rebuild my distribution list, but I am not sure how accurate I have been. 

            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

Pastor Emeritus, St. John Lutheran Church

E-Mail: jonrock53@mtaonline.net

cell phone - 907-841-4066

Home phone - 907-746-5131