Do the mysteries
of life ever astound you? Shock you?
Frustrate you? Recently my wife and I have had some (ahem) interactions
with the intricacies and mysteries of technology. Frustration probably begins to describe our
reactions.
In December, I
bought Kathy a television for her sewing room for Christmas. This was a small, new, TV which was supposed
to “stream” so that she could watch shows while sewing and quilting. I mounted the TV on the wall without any
trouble. But, when we tried to connect
the television to our Wifi we had no luck.
I called our internet provider and their technician suggested I press
the re-start button on our wifi-extender, but then, the extender could not be
found on the Wifi search. The next
suggestion of the man on the phone was that our relatively new router might
have some issues. The technical support
person suggested a few tests there, along with also pushing the re-set button
on the router. Then we lost all wifi,
and the downstairs television didn’t work either. So the technical assistant checked our modem,
asking for the password. Somehow, after
trying the password, we no longer had any internet service to the house at all. We went from troubles with one device, to no
wifi signal while still having an internet signal, to having no internet at
all! Frustration well describes our
reaction. After a day or so of back and
forth phone calls, and some new equipment, we got things up and running and the
new TV even worked. But, I can share
that there were some mumbles under my breath.
And, I realized just how little I know about my internet, and how big a
mystery computer technology is to me!
Also, Kathy and I
recently took a road trip. We visited a
favorite spot, Unicoi State Park in North Georgia, along with family, where we
celebrated Kathy’s 65th birthday.
That was a truly enjoyable time of family togetherness. From there we visited old friends in Hickory,
NC, Dave and Kathy Ludwig. What a great
opportunity to catch up with long-time friends.
Finally, on the way home we stopped to see a friend we have had in
Chattanoogo for 45 years. After all this
visiting, we drove toward our Florida home.
Now here comes
the frustration. Have you driven through
Atlanta recently? We hit a traffic jam
north of Atlanta that our google maps said was 12 minutes long. I think we lost an hour to an hour and a half
of time in that one delay. So, since our
map “ap” said there was a delay of over an hour going through Atlanta, we drove
the outer belt to miss that trouble.
When we hit what was supposed to be another “8 minute” delay, but were
in stop and go traffic, we took the detour suggested by Google Maps. This detour took us down two lane roads,
which at times turned into dirt roads. However,
others were doing the same thing. At one
point, stopped on a two lane dirt road, we could count 19 cars and semi-trucks in
front of us, and 10 cars behind us. The maps
ap was correct concerning the fact that there were traffic delays. But, the time estimates and the suggested
detours left something to be desired. We
finally made it back to our Gainesville home about 2 ½ hours later than the
original projection. Again, frustration
begins to describe our interaction with technology. But there is also the humbling realization of
how little I personally know.
However, as I
grow in years, I have at times come to actually appreciate that I do not know everything. I’m glad that my knowledge is not all there
is to know about the world, our universe, and our Lord. I don’t want my lack of
knowledge and wisdom to be all there is.
I’m glad that God is in charge!
On February 28 I
had different kind of experience with mystery and awe. I was
fishing late on a warm Florida spring evening.
Because of the late hour I had to turn on the lights for my boat to
return to the dock. I drove my boat onto
the trailer in the dark. But, as I stood
beside the quiet lake, my eyes looked up and I was amazed by a sky full of stars. Away from the light pollution of the city, the
Milky Way stood out. This beautiful view
caused me to wonder again, this time about the wise and powerful hand which
created the universe. God created all
that wonder and beauty. . . yet He knows and cares for me! What an amazing, wonderful, mystery!
In his letter to
the church in Rome, Paul is led by God to consider the wonders of
salvation. Do you remember Paul’s
God-inspired words?
33 Oh, the depth of the riches of
the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths
beyond tracing out! 34 "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has
been his counselor?" (Romans 11:33-34)
God and His ways are
beyond our understanding!
And, as Peter
writes about the mysteries of God’s saving love in Jesus, he shares with us
these words about the prophets of old, and the angels of heaven. “10
Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to
come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find
out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was
pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would
follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but
you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who
have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even
angels long to look into these things.” (1 Peter
1:10-12) I am not the only one amazed by
the loving, creative, and saving hand of God.
Even the angels in heaven are amazed!
How about you?
What depths of mystery frustrate you? Or amaze you?
Have you stopped to thank the Lord that He is in charge of saving the
world, through the unexpected suffering and resurrection of His very Son? Are
you led, in awe, to thank and praise God for His power and love?
A Child of God, Frustrated
by the Mysteries of Technology, BUT, Amazed by the Saving Hand of God,
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. Here are some pictures from various trips we took recently,
·
To Unicoi State Park with my sister and brother
and their spouses to celebrate Kathy’s birthday. https://photos.app.goo.gl/uZDWwWkS13zMn3s97
·
To Hickory, North Carolina, to visit friends,
Dave and Kathy Ludwig. https://photos.app.goo.gl/CoZHi1Zt5YYF299LA
·
We wish we had gotten a picture of our friend,
Jo Parham in Chattanooga. L
·
To Lakeland, Florida, for a baseball game with
St. John members JD and Dena Jeffers. https://photos.app.goo.gl/khWy5wCuzhcjAmP26
P.P.S. I also did a little fishing recently.
·
On March 10 at Unicoi State Park trout fishing
in Smith Creek. https://photos.app.goo.gl/WvgrZBFhsHSTNmQ77
·
On Sunday, March 14, in the Suwannee River. https://photos.app.goo.gl/o8t3NBQQthGCAPfq8
*****
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
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