Last week I went to the Grizzly fitness center to
work out. I’ve worked out a few times this
month since Kathy and I returned from Florida, and this session of exercise was
especially good. I spent 30 minutes on
the elliptical, lifted weights on six different machines, and did two types of
stretching exercises. Then I walked a
mile on the track. As I said, it was a
good workout!
At the recommendation of a trainer at the fitness
center a couple of years ago I purchased a fitbit as part of taking care of
myself. I’ve learned to appreciate
looking to see how many steps I’ve taken, how fast my heart beat while exercising,
and how many calories I burned. I even
check my sleep patterns. (Kathy,
however, says she can tell me how I slept by my snoring, even without my
fitbit. Sigh!) However, on the day of this good workout last
week, I left my fitbit home charging.
I complained to Kathy, “I would have recorded lots of steps on my fitbit
for my good workout. But, because I left
my watch at home, I don’t get any credit.”
Kathy usually responds wisely and advised me, “It’s not the steps on your
device that are important. You got the
good workout. That’s what really
matters.” Of course, Kathy was right . .
. again.
All of this can seem frivolous, but I was reminded
of what is truly and ultimately important by an experience this past
weekend. I was asked by a friend at
church to help him assist a lady who was very ill. My help for this woman did not have anything to
do with my being a pastor. So, I went
with my friend to visit the lady on Friday, and while getting to know one
another I found out that she had a Lutheran faith background from childhood
long ago. She and I visited about her
faith heritage, and I asked her if she would like me to read to her from
Scripture and perhaps pray for her. I
had brought my Bible, just in case. The
lady replied “yes”, to the surprise of my friend. In fact, even though we would not be able to
finalize the help I was asked to provide until Monday, she nevertheless asked
if I would return the next day and give her communion. This lady who was very ill had not received
the Lord’s Supper since she was a young person far away from Alaska.
So, on Saturday I visited this lady again and read
her some more Bible verses; this time I read from Romans 8:35-39. In spite of her illness we discussed the
grace and love of God in Jesus, and I communed her. Then, on Monday morning I returned to provide
the specific help for which I had originally been called. But, in the hour or so before I arrived, this
lady had passed away. I did not get to help
this woman with the task which I was originally asked to perform. Nevertheless, something much more important
happened. This lady was re-connected
with her Lord and Savior. Her faith was
re-kindled. She received His promised
forgiveness in the sacrament. I believe
that in these short visits this woman again received the eternal life Jesus
came to give.
Jesus once visited Martha and Mary and their brother,
Lazarus, some friends of His in Bethany, and He taught them about what is was truly
important. While Jesus visited, Martha
was busy preparing a meal for their honored guest. But, while Martha worked Mary sat at Jesus’
feet listening to the words of life which He shared. Martha complained to Jesus that her sister
was not assisting with the preparation.
But, Jesus taught Martha what is really important. “41 Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but
only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be
taken away from her." (Luke 10:38-42,
especially verses 41-42)
How often, like Martha, do we become distracted
from what is really important? We are
all sinners who deserve the judgment of God for our selfish rebellion against
our Creator. But, in love and grace God
has taken the punishment we deserve onto Himself in the person of His Son,
Jesus. God offers forgiveness, He gives
life and salvation by His grace through faith in our Savior, Jesus. Keeping this relationship of faith with our
Lord healthy is THE most important thing we can do in this life.
So, are you
keeping what is truly important as the primary concern of your life? Are you paying attention to your faith
through worship, through personal reading of Scripture and prayer, through the
gift of God’s sacraments, and through fellowship with other Christians? In love, God sent Jesus and He saves us
through faith in Him. This faith in
Jesus is the “one thing needed.”
Jesus told another friend, Nicodemus, “16 For God so loved the world that he gave
his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have
eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the
world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not
condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has
not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.” (John 3:16-18) God has acted in sacrificial love because, as
sinners, we cannot save ourselves through our works. God wants us to receive His love so much that
He allowed His Son to suffer, and sent His Son to die, so that we might have
life. Our relationship with God through
faith is the most important relationship in our lives. But, if we neglect our faith, if we lose our
relationship with God through Jesus, we can lose our eternal life. We can miss out on what is truly, eternally
important. Do we, like Martha, become
worried, and distracted by other seemingly important tasks? Do we miss what is
really important?
At the end of
this lady’s life God’s love in Jesus broke through again. Her relationship with her Savior was
reborn. She regained her Most Important Possession! I was personally touched and amazed by the
gift of sharing Jesus and his love with this lady, with this friend of my
friend. What a wonderful opportunity to
help someone receive the forgiveness and eternal life God won for us in
Jesus. Jesus says, “only one thing is needed.” Is your faith receiving the
attention and focus which that “one thing” deserves in your life?
Child of God, Living
in and Sharing the ONE Thing Necessary,
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. We started our yard and garden work this week. Here is the beginning of what we have
done. https://photos.app.goo.gl/ALbHbuZsRyv1qyP68
P.P.S. The boat is in the
shop for work on the trailer – hopefully fishing this coming week – maybe for
HALIBUT on the Kenai with friend Fred Vasilie.
*****
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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