When Did I Miss God?

Dear Fellow Children of God, 

 

I spent the weekend of July 25 on the Kenai Peninsula fishing for red salmon with a fly rod.  The emphasis here is on fishing.  While a good number of fish had gone up river the previous week, the majority seem to have passed when I was on the bank.  Most people on the shore with me were struggling to even touch a fish, though I did see some salmon caught.  I did probably touch about 10-15 fish, and landed 3.  However, the 2 sockeye salmon and the one pink salmon I landed, were all foul hooked.  I released them.  So, after 3 days of fishing, with a sore shoulder and a sore knee, having missed sleep and being tired, I was frustrated and discouraged.

 

But, Sunday night as I was talking with friends on shore I looked around.  The sun was shining.  An eagle had been perched above us, watching us fish.  My dog was making friends with everyone who arrived.  The clouds framed the mountains like a beautiful picture.  I could have focused on my sore shoulder and my lack of catching.  But, then I would have missed the beauty around me, and the friends with whom I shared this experience.

 

In my devotion on Monday, July 26, my reading started with the following prayer:  “God our Father, open our eyes to see your hand at work in the splendor of creation, in the beauty of human life.  Touched by your hand our world is holy.  Help us to cherish the gifts that surround us, to share your blessings with our brothers and sisters, and to experience the joy of life in your presence.  We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen.” (For All the Saints, Volume II, p. 308)

 

What do we miss of God’s love, of His grace, of His presence in our lives because we focus on our problems, our possessions, our hectic lives?  The love of God is present because of Jesus, “Immanuel . . . “God With Us”. (Matthew 1:23)  Our bodies are a “temple of the Holy Spirit.”  (1 Corinthians 6:19)  Jesus promises, “ . . . surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)  In other words, God is always in our lives, but we often live like we forget His presence and His love.  Or worse, we live like God does not even exist.

 

One of the reasons that people ignore God is we do not want to admit that someone else rules our lives.  The reality is that God is the Creator and Ruler of the world, of the universe.  This is true, whether we want to admit it or not.  In addition, because our Lord is the Creator and Ruler of all, when we act in pride, in selfishness, in greed or envy or lust, we are liable to judgement and punishment.  We can miss God’s Lordship because we are too wrapped up in our lives, or simply because we want to be ruler of our own lives. 

 

But, when we miss God’s presence as Creator and Lord, when we miss our responsibility and guilt as sinners, then we miss something even greater.  If we don’t acknowledge our sin, then we don’t realize how hopeless our situation is.  When we forget or ignore the guilt of our sin, and our hopeless predicament, then we miss the unbelievable gift that ". . . 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.”  (John 3:16)

 

The assigned Gospel Lesson for last Sunday in many churches was the account of Jesus walking on water after He had fed the 5000.  Peter, impetuous as often he is often shown to be in the New Testament, went out to Jesus walking on water himself.  Then, however, in the Matthew reading of this account we are told, “But when he [Peter] saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’” (Matthew 14:30)  Jesus was standing right beside Peter.  But Peter’s attention was distracted from Jesus and His power and love Jesus had for Him.  Peter was distracted and forgot that Jesus gave Peter the faith to walk on water out to Jesus.  Jesus was there performing a miracle for Peter, but even in the midst of that miracle, he missed Jesus. 

 

Have you walked in the beauty of the world around you, perhaps surrounded by the mountains and streams and wildlife of Alaska, but been so distracted that your missed that beauty, and missed the signature of our all-powerful and loving Lord?  Do you walk through the problems of our world and your life and miss the love, the grace, and the eternal life which God gives us in His Son, Jesus?  I echo the words of the prayer I read.  “God our Father, open our eyes to see your hand at work in the splendor of creation, in the beauty of human life.  Touched by your hand our world is holy.  Help us to cherish the gifts that surround us, to share your blessings with our brothers and sisters, and to experience the joy of life in your presence. Amen.” 

 

A Child of God, Seeking to Always Remember the Loving, Gracious Presence of Jesus,

Pastor Jonathan

 

P.S.  We had a visit last week from Pastor Jonathan Goeke, his wife, Sarah, and their sons Micah and Luke.  Here are some pictures from that visit, and a fishing trip.  https://photos.app.goo.gl/AQTvhLHfp6r9tBLR6

 

P.P.S.  – Here is a picture of others fishing on the bank where I fished July 23 ff.  https://photos.app.goo.gl/A8Ek6atXdHoQhtkN8

 

 

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            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.) 

        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