Who was an influence of godly direction and love in
your childhood? Maybe you have heard, or experienced, that children do
not always want to listen to their parents. However, they do often listen
to and care about advice and instruction from other respected adults, such as
teachers, neighbors, uncles and aunts, or pastors. I received godly
direction from all of those people in my life, but my grandfather is one who
made a difference which I especially remember.
Some know that I got in quite a bit of trouble as a
young child. For example, it seemed I was always standing in the corner,
visiting the cloak room, or walking to the principal’s office when I was in
first grade. Yup, first grade! Those days were different than
today. I would walk from school to my grandfather’s house for
lunch. My uncle, a teacher in the school, walked with me. Upon
hearing of my struggles, my grandfather came up with a plan. Every day I
didn’t’ get in trouble I could put a dime in a jar during lunch. If I put 20
dimes into the jar, he would take me out to eat for a lobster meal, which I
loved. (Yes, I am old! A lobster meal cost $2.00 in 1960.) The
catch was that every day I got into trouble I had to empty the jar and start
over again. I did work to behave better, and tried to improve.
However, I actually only earned one meal that year.
Through my life as a young child my grandfather taught
me the difference between right and wrong, reminded me of Jesus, showed me a
love for God’s church. So, who was an influence of godly direction and
love in your childhood?
Unfortunately, our world has changed for the
worse. Perhaps because people are turning away from Jesus and His Church,
or perhaps because of the internet, child abuse seems rampant. We are
told of child predators. All of us can remember such horrors near us, or
in our communities. But, children still need godly examples to whom they
will listen. Children still need someone to support their parents in
teaching the difference between right and wrong, to remind them of Jesus and
His love, and to show a love for God’s church
You know that in
Scripture God calls His people to raise children in love and in faith, to teach
them about Him. In Deuteronomy 6, Moses instructs the people of Israel as
they enter the Holy Land, 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give
you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk
about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie
down and when you get up. (Deuteronomy 6:5-7) God calls people
to teach their children about His commandments, and about Him.
And in Mark 10 we
are told about Jesus. “13 People were bringing little children to Jesus to
have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he
was indignant. He said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not
hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 I tell you the
truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will
never enter it.’ 16 And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them
and blessed them.” (Mark 10:13-15) Even when others thought that
children were unimportant, Jesus took time for them. Jesus showed godly
love and attention to the children of His day. Ultimately, those children who
knew Jesus’ love were saved for everlasting life.
The other side of this is that there is joy in being a
positive, faithful, godly, influence for children. I looked at my picture
albums and found 7 fishing trips this year with grandchildren, and also with
children from church. I have at least two more such trips
scheduled. The children thank me and tell me they had fun, but it is fun
for me too. Let me share with you some stories from this summer.
On June 8th, when I first put my boat in
the water with granddaughter, Annie, we returned home and she told Kathy,
“Poppy made me stop and I didn’t want to.” Annie had caught a lot of
trout that night. On June 10th, I took grandchildren Henry and Annie
fishing. We had grandkids that night so their parents could celebrate
their 15th wedding anniversary. As we walked into the house
about 10:00 p.m., after putting things away, Annie said to me. “We were
good. We helped put things away. Can we go back fishing now?”
(Those words warm a grandfather’s heart!) On June 13th I took a
young man from church, Gaelen Swigart, fishing in a canoe on a local
lake. Gaelen caught fish on bait, and then I taught him to fly
fish. Gaelen’s grandmother, Sara Guhl, later told me, “You cost me
money. Now I have to buy Gaelen a fly rod.” J
We had a unique experience on June 19th,
when I took Andy’s children, Jackson and Kendall, fishing near our home.
Kendall had a fish on the line, but an eagle in a tree was watching, and
dove. Kendall turned to me with a look of shock on her face. “An
Eagle stole my fish!”
On Father’s Day I was able to take all 6 grandchildren
fishing at Finger Lake State Park, with the help of my oldest son, Josh.
That was an exercise in organized chaos. Annie was the last to catch a
fish. She told me, “You started the motor and scared the fish and it bit
my bait.” Hmm.
I took St. John member, Randy Luffberry, and his
granddaughter fishing on June 25. It warmed my heart to hear Julia shout,
“I caught my first fish!” She later caught 2 more fish. I fished in
other places without children this summer. But, on July 1 I took Emma,
Henry, and Annie fishing. Emma and Henry were catching, but Annie was
getting impatient, pulling the line too fast. I said, “Annie, you have to
be patient. Henry and Emma told her the same thing. Annie
responded, “I don’t like patience! That means waiting!!”
That was a teaching opportunity. I’m told the children will remember
these days. But I will too!
Who was an influence of godly direction and love in your
childhood? Who, taught you the difference between right and wrong,
reminded you of Jesus, showed you a love for God’s church? Jesus said, ‘Let
the little children come to me.’ Let me make a suggestion. . . Take a child
fishing!
A Child of God, Finding Joy in Being a Godly Influence
in the Lives of God’s Children!
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. I made
an online album of my fishing trips with children this summer. Here is
the link. https://photos.app.goo.gl/LhEpD7o59LgwmGux8
P.P.S. Here
are some pictures of my grandfather. https://photos.app.goo.gl/iFETSWZ8e7L4yLWz6
P.P.P.S. – I
also took daughter, Mary, and her boyfriend, Josh, fishing on Monday. We
were fishing for salmon but did not see many. They did catch 3
trout. https://photos.app.goo.gl/BgDUKDaacXg8VSyeA
P.P.P.P.S. I
continue working on our yard and our garden. Here are some new pictures from
this past week. https://photos.app.goo.gl/Td5JMnJk7V6HT6ZJ6
*****
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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