Monday and
Tuesday at the Rockey house were reminders of the truth that “Everything in this world ultimately breaks or wears
out.” Monday night, before going to bed,
I noticed our heat cycling on and off. I
even squeezed my way down into the crawl space to take a look, but had no
solutions in my bag of tricks other than to unplug the furnace. I called our heating contractor early Tuesday
morning. Thankfully, they arrived almost
immediately. After looking at our
heating unit, the bottom line is that we need a new furnace. We also discovered that our garage heater needs
special attention. We have been in our
house now for 15 years, so this is not a surprise, just a reminder that, “Everything
in this world ultimately breaks or
wears out.”
While the heating
service technician was working in our crawl space, I stopped for morning devotions
and for breakfast. While sitting at the
kitchen table I heard a loud noise from the garage. I was afraid I knew what that noise was. Yup, one of the springs on our garage door
had broken and the door would not open without serious muscle. You see, “Everything in this world ultimately breaks or wears out.”
Of course, less
than 24 hours before these mechanical problems, I had also learned this lesson
on Monday at the office of my orthopedic surgeon. I hurt my knee while working in the yard on
Friday, July 16. For a few days I found it
was painful to even stand up. But
gradually I have almost full use returned to my knee, with only occasional
pain. I’m not running up and down steps
now the way I was, however. Neither have
I been to the gym since July 15th.
Our doctor took X-rays and showed me the pictures. He told me, “Well, in this knee (right), it’s
almost bone on bone. The knee you hurt
(left) is bone on bone. And . . . you have arthritis!” Even on my body, “Everything
in this world ultimately breaks or
wears out.”
My daughter would
tell you that I tried to advance the breaking process in my boat on Monday evening
as we went fishing. The water was low,
and I was running fast, staying on step so as not to drag bottom. I just didn’t quite make the turn, and the
side of the boat collided with a bank of grass which jutted out. We both were in shock, though she was quicker
to admit what she calls her “boat PTSD” than I was. Thankfully, in this case no one was injured,
and no damage was done to the boat.
However, my gear was all over the bottom of the boat. The dog ended up in the water. So, from about 2:00 Monday afternoon till
10:00 Tuesday morning we really learned the lesson, “Everything in this world ultimately breaks or wears
out.”
I
really should not be surprised. This is
a lesson I should know. In The Sermon on
the Mount Jesus teaches his followers, including you and me, “19 Do not
store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and
where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in
heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in
and steal.” (Matthew 6:19-20) Jesus knew this
reality and taught that “Everything in this world ultimately breaks or wears
out.” But, Jesus also raises the
question, “If things wear out in this life, what am I doing to store treasure
in heaven?”
God inspired Paul
to teach this truth as well. Consider
how in Colossians Paul encourages, “1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where
Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” (Colossians 3:1-2, see also 2 Corinthians 4:16-18) You
see that Paul raises the same question which Jesus does. “If things wear out in this life, how am I
storing treasure in heaven?”
I talked with a
young mom about this question at St. John on Tuesday morning, after the
repairmen had left our home and I finally made it to church. On Wednesday evening, August 11, Cayden
Susky, infant son of Christone and Hayley (Watkins) Susky is being baptized at
St. John. Scripture promises that when
God calls a person in baptism he forgives sin and gives the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38).
God promises that when He calls a person in baptism He works to save us
for eternal life in heaven. (Mark 16:16,
John 3:3-5). When this dad and mom bring
their child to the Lord for baptism, when they continue to feed this faith
through God’s word and sacraments in His Church, they are storing up treasure
in heaven for their son.
An added bonus is
that Hayley’s brother, Harley, is also being confirmed on Wednesday
evening. Harley Watkins has already been
baptized. But after 3 years of
confirmation classes with fellow students, and now that COVID fears are
somewhat less, Harley will respond to God’s grace and to our Lord’s call. Harley will confirm God’s call in his life
and will promise, with our Lord’s help, to follow Jesus. In a world where “Everything ultimately breaks or wears out”, Harley’s
response of faith in Jesus is storing up for himself treasure in heaven!
After talking
with our heating contractor on Tuesday, I am thankful we did not have a fire in
the house, nor did we suffer from carbon monoxide. And, though I didn’t want to pay for a new
furnace, I know that “Everything in this
world ultimately breaks or wears out.”
BUT, through Jesus’ life and death and resurrection, by God’s grace
through faith, God gives us what is eternal.
He gives His love for this life, love which never fades. Our Lord gives eternal life in heaven. So, by growing in Jesus, through His grace, I
seek to deal with the truth that “Everything
ultimately breaks or wears out.” That
is why I seek to “. . . store up
. . . treasures in heaven, where moth
and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
A Child of God, Thankful
that in a Fading World, God’s Gifts in Jesus are Eternal,
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. Lutheran
Hour Rally - The Speaker of the Lutheran
Hour, Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler, will be coming to Anchorage for a Lutheran Hour
Rally on Thursday, August 26th. The
festivities begin with supper at 5:30 pm followed by the Rally at 6:30 pm, and
a coffee hour at 7:30 pm. The cost of the meal is $15/individual, $25/couple,
$10/ child 6-12 (children under 6 are free). Contact Anchorage Lutheran Church
to register for the supper: 907-272-5323. The registration deadline is August
23rd.
P.P.S. I was in Pocatello last week at a meeting of
the District Board of Directors and missed some Alaskan recreation. However, here are some pictures from my
Monday evening fishing on August 9 trip with my daughter, Mary. https://photos.app.goo.gl/DiMyBm51DvjCp7At8
*****
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
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