My personal devotions this past week started
me thinking sadly about the repeated failure of God’s people. Included in my readings on Monday, October
11, was the section of Scripture which describes the behavior which led God to
allow the Assyrians to conquer the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 B.C, and
bring these people into exile. Please read with me God’s word in 2 Kings 17:35, 40-41. “35 When the LORD made a covenant with the
Israelites, he commanded them: "Do not worship any other gods or bow down
to them, serve them or sacrifice to them. . . 40 They would not listen,
however, but persisted in their former practices. 41 Even while these people
were worshiping the LORD, they were serving their idols. To this day their
children and grandchildren continue to do as their fathers did.” (see also 2 Kings 18:9-12) Time and again the people of Israel turned
away from God. Time and again the Lord
warned them through His word, through the prophets. But, as verse 40 says, “They would not listen.” Does that sound familiar? Are there instances in our world where people
make gods, or give their allegiance, to something or someone other than the
true Lord? Does it concern you that the
behavior of Israel also seems to be a description of our world today?
Part of my
stream of thought then led me to re-examine some verses from the book of
Revelation which talk of the hard-heartedness of people, leading to God’s
judgment. In Revelation 16 we read, “8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on
the sun, and the sun was given power to scorch people with fire. 9 They were
seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control
over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him. 10 The
fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was
plunged into darkness. Men gnawed their tongues in agony 11 and cursed the God
of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent
of what they had done.”
(Revelation 16:8-11). In this
description of end times, the people of the world turn from God. The Lord sends plagues to help people see the
error of their ways, and to turn them to the Lord of all. But, God’s Old Testament people refused to
listen. The people in Revelation also
refuse to repent. Does that sound familiar?
How does
that apply to the world we live in today?
Does it seem to you the world today refuses to listen to God, or follow
Him? It seems that way to me. But, . . . there is a lurking danger in such
thinking. God’s children can look at the
failures around them. We can consider
the sins of others, but then forget our own
feet of clay.
God
moved Paul to write about his ‘journey through life as a child of God.’ In the book of Romans, written to teach a
congregation which Paul had not yet visited, he confessed his own struggle. “For
what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do-- this
I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:19) The people of the Old Testament knew God’s
law, but did not listen. God called the
people of Revelation to repentance, but they did not repent. Yet, Paul, even “wanting to do good”, also
“keeps on doing the evil he does not want to do.” What Paul is really confessing is his own
struggle and failure to listen to God and follow Him. Paul confesses His need for a Savior.
People of
all time have needed a Savior. We don’t
need someone to save us from the injustice of the world around us as much as we
need to be saved from ourselves.
Thankfully, God gives us exactly what we need in Jesus. Paul not only discusses his struggle, but also
shares God’s deliverance. “24 What a
wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to
God-- through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
(Romans 7:24-25) Because we sin
and fail God sent His Son. Even knowing
our sin Jesus loved us. Jesus came to
this world to forgive us because we cannot save ourselves. God delivers and saves us in Jesus.
Yet, our
need for God’s Savior, reveals another danger in today’s troubled world. In the midst of all the trouble of
today’s world, many voices give conflicting direction. One bit of advice I hear again and again is this.
“Trust yourself. Trust your heart.” But,
if we sin and fail, should we trust our sinful hearts for direction? Who do you trust? Do you trust yourself, knowing that the heart
of sinful people takes them away from God?
Or, do you trust the Lord who loves you, who gave His Son for us? Do you trust the one who died to forgive your
sins and who rose to give you new life?
Do you perhaps test your thoughts and feelings by comparing them to the
loving direction God gives in His Word?
Personally, God’s saving love for me in Jesus
leads me to want to trust Him, not myself.
God’s saving love for me in Jesus leads me to study His word and follow
His direction.
How
about you? Who do you trust more, your
own judgements and feelings, or our Creator, our Savior, and His Word of love
and truth? That is an important question
in today’s troubled world. The answer
can make a difference for each of us in this world, and for each of us eternally.
A Child of God, Asking, Who Do You Listen to?
Trust? Follow?
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. Here
is some St. John News.
- There is a prayer vigil
at St. John on Friday, October 13, as part of the “Choose to Be Different”
campaign. You may call the church
office at 907-745-3338 to sign up.
·
“Choose
to Be Different” Banquet – Sunday, October 24 at 5:00 p.m. – A celebration
Banquet will be held as part of our “Choose to Be Different” campaign. The meal will be held at the Palmer Senior
Center and catered by St. John member, Rebecca Kopperud. ALL are invited to attend and celebrate God’s
goodness in our midst. Please sign up in
the church office or in the back of church.
P.P.S. Kathy and I have been hosting friends,
Rev. Rick and Kristi Armstrong for the last couple of weeks. Here are some pictures of our journeys and
travels.
·
On October 7 we drove up the Glenn Highway and
viewed the Matanuska Glacier and the wonder of God’s creation. https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ejc9yRaXTQuKsPyc7
·
On October 8 we took a snowy walk in Hatcher
Pass. Here is one picture. https://photos.app.goo.gl/V9T35Gof87CAS8we7
·
As I mentioned last week in my devotion, I
started college in August of 1971 with Pastor Rick and Kristi Armstrong, and
with Pastor Tony Schultz. The
Armstrongs, Schultz’s, and Rockey’s ate supper together on Friday, October
8. https://photos.app.goo.gl/2cdFRuV5MbgvT56x7
·
We visited the Alaska Sea-Life Center in Seward,
AK, on October 11. https://photos.app.goo.gl/hwkt3YZ884KU1rFQ8
·
On October 12 we drove home from the Kenai
Peninsula and saw beautiful views on a nice fall day. https://photos.app.goo.gl/fWMHAMaFnxhcGHcX7
*****
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
“1 John 3:1 How great is
the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of
God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1a)
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