Perhaps, like
many others, you are still recovering from our recent windstorm which even led
to a “Declaration of Disaster Emergency” by Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy. Many suffered power outages from the winds
and the cold which began on Saturday morning and blew hard through Monday
evening. The storm caused much damage
and destruction. Perhaps you saw the
pictures of the overturned semi-trailers and airplanes. Maybe you glimpsed pictures of the Palmer
Carrs-Safeway Grocery store covered in ice from broken pipes. You may have driven by trees that were blown
down, many falling on electric lines.
You might have seen in person, or through pictures, damaged fences and buildings. Imagine the power it took to blow apart the
Wasilla Kentucky Fried Chicken! According
to the weather.com website on Sunday morning winds were 40-50 miles an hour,
with gusts to 80 mph. But, I heard many reports
of winds of a higher speed. And, how can
we know how strong the winds blew? The winds destroyed the weather station in
Palmer!
Our family has
experienced such windstorms in the past, though this one may have been more
destructive than any I remember. In
fact, Borough Manager, John Moosey, was quoted as saying in a press conference on
Monday morning, “I’ve never seen a winter storm this bad.” (The Frontiersman,
January 3). My wife, Kathy says, “When
the wind blows with this force in the south, weathermen give the storms names
and call them hurricanes. Here, they
just say, ‘The wind is blowing in Palmer.’”
We did not lose
power at our home, though others in our family and church friends lost power. We suffered other damage. But, on Monday morning as I was eating
breakfast and reading my devotions in the middle of the storm, the readings
were interestingly appropriate. The Old Testament reading for that day was from
1 Kings 19 where Elijah has run from Queen Jezebel. After strengthening by an
angel, he arrives at Mt. Horeb. Elijah
is staying and hiding in a cave when the Lord speaks to him. Among the words of our Lord to Elijah which I
read on Monday were those from 1 Kings 19:11-12 “11 The LORD said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the
LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.’ Then a great and powerful wind tore
the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was
not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not
in the earthquake. 12 After the
earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire
came a gentle whisper. Imagine that! “
. . . a great and powerful wind which tore the mountains apart and shattered
the rocks before the Lord.” I felt
like I knew what Elijah experienced, at least a little bit.
The
Gospel Lesson for devotions on Monday was from John 6, beginning with verse
15. After Jesus has fed the 5000, he
sent His disciples across the sea of Galilee while He remained and prays. We are told of the disciples, “16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they
got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark,
and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters
grew rough. 19 When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw
Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. 20
But he said to them, ‘It is I; don't be afraid.’" (John 6:16-20) In a second reading on Monday I read about “a
strong wind blowing.” I sensed the voice
of my Lord speaking to me.
First, in 1 Kings I read, “the Lord was not in the wind.” Yet, the Lord was with Elijah through those destructive winds, speaking to him ultimately
through a gentle whisper. Secondly, in
spite of the danger of the storm and the fear of the wind from the disciples,
Jesus was with them and He brought them to safety.
Our
lives are full of storms. Some are
storms of weather, and some are storms of life.
As we look at a new year and the storms which we may face, God
strengthens us with the assurance the He is with us. That is who Jesus is after all, “Immanuel - which means God with us.” (Matthew
1:23) The Christmas miracle is that
Jesus “17 . . . had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he
might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he
might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered
when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” (Hebrews 2:17-18)
Jesus became a man who suffered and was tempted, who has faced our
storms. Jesus overcame our temptations, our suffering, our storms, on the cross
and in the empty tomb. This Jesus who has
experienced and understands our trials, and who has overcome them, who atones
and pays for our sins, is with us when the winds of life blow.
On Tuesday as I
talked and met with people, many of them told me how they were somewhat dazed,
numb from the winds. We listened, we prayed
for each other, and we cared for each other.
We could do this because Jesus is “Immanuel
- which means God with us.” He is
with us in His love and His power through the storms of life.
A Child of God, Battered
by the Storms of Life-Standing Firm in the Presence of My Lord!
Pastor Jonathan
P.S.
St. John has some cancellations and rescheduling. As of Tuesday our community leaders were
still calling for “sheltering in place.”
Public schools are still cancelled for Wednesday. St. John is also dealing successfully with
some issues from the weather, including plumbing problems. Therefore . . .
·
Promise Keepers is cancelled for Tuesday evening,
January 4.
·
LWML Quilting is cancelled for Wednesday morning,
January 5.
·
Lifelight Classes are cancelled for Wednesday
noon.
·
Confirmation classes are cancelled for Wednesday
afternoon (because school is not in session.)
We
hope to be back to a regular schedule soon!
P.P.S. Here are some pictures of the windstorm. I took some of the pictures, and I have
gleaned some from friends and from Facebook.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/2D4PAMFeboHDycHZA
P.P.P.S. Here are some pictures from last week’s
fishing trip with Kevin Stinn, husband of Kristin Kopperud Stinn. https://photos.app.goo.gl/gZJu7fuMsFH66KSi8
P.P.P.P.S. At supper on Tuesday evening my wife made a
joke. Referring to Psalm 135:7 (“He makes
clouds rise from the ends of the earth; he sends lightning with the rain and
brings out the wind from his storehouses.”)
she said, “Have you read how God keeps the winds
in his storehouses. I think he left the
door open. Was He born in a barn? . . .
O yeah! He was!!
*****
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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