Last week I
called a friend. Actually, I used to
call and visit with this friend’s husband on a regular basis. I would especially call him while I was out
fishing. Or, I would call him on my Bluetooth on the way to a fishing
spot. Since I fish a lot, I talked a lot
with this friend’s husband, especially on Mondays. Sadly, my friend’s husband passed away in
December and he is with our Lord now.
But, his widow, my friend whom I called last Monday, now lives
alone. She does have loving family, and
a caring church. But, when I talked to
her after the funeral I asked her, “I used to talk with George on Monday’s. How about I check on you?” She said, “OK.” So I have now been calling her on Mondays to
visit.
However, often
when I have called this friend my call has gone unanswered. The lack of an answer is actually a good thing,
because my friend is keeping busy with family and church. But, I have left messages for her to call me back,
yet she had not called me back. When we did
talk last week, having a really good conversation, I asked if she had received my
phone calls and messages. She responded,
“Yes. But you are so busy I didn’t want
to call back and interrupt you in the middle of a class or something.” That answer caused me to pause, and even hurt,
because I knew it was true. I told her, “George
called me back at any time. If I couldn’t
talk then, I would let him know. Then I
would call him back later. You can call me anytime.”
Imagine being too busy for a friend. Or, imagine having
a friend think you are too busy for them.
And, I am even retired! (Sort of)
I know I have always tried to keep active, and to actually be found
doing my Lord’s work. I take to heart
the words on Jesus in Matthew 24. “44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of
Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. 45 Who then is the
faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in
his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good
for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.” (Matthew 24:44-46) As Jesus also taught, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord
of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." I have taken seriously Jesus’ life call
to be doing the work my master gave me. There
is work to be done. After all, as Paul
says, 57 . . . thanks be to God! He
gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my dear
brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the
work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. Because
God gives victory through the resurrection of Jesus, I want to “always give
myself fully to the work of the Lord,” even in retirement. In my life, I have tried to make the
world around me a better place than it was when I arrived, with varying degrees
of success. But, . . .
too busy for a friend?
There is work to be done. But when I stand before my Lord on Judgement
Day, I am sure that one of the sins which I have committed is that of being “too
busy.” I confess that if I see a job which
needs doing, I try to make sure that job is addressed. I don’t necessarily try to do the whole job
by myself, but I am part of an effort to do my Lord’s work. I served as full-time pastor at St. John for
28 ½ years. A lot of jobs build up and accumulate
after 28+ years. Even though I was of
retirement age, perhaps it was the burden of all those tasks for the Lord which
needed addressing that helped in my decision to retire.
Now,
back to my friend. In Mark 12 Jesus was asked
about which commandment is the greatest. We hear Jesus’ reply in verses 29-31. “29 "The
most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the
Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love
the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind and with all your strength.' 31 The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as
yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." In
other words, an important part of loving the Lord our God is . . . loving others. Love takes time. Remember, “Love is . . . patient.” (I Corinthians 13:4)
The life of a
child of God is a constant balancing act of trying to meet competing demands,
or opportunities. So I have previously prayed,
and I am again renewing my prayers, that our Lord will guide me to give to
those I love all that they need from me.
I pray that I especially, patiently, give them my time. I have not always done that well. Jesus gave His whole life for me. I pray that my Lord leads me to love Him, by
being loving others, by being patient with others, and by giving of the time my
Lord has given me . . . for others.
A Child of God, Praying
I am NOT too Busy for Family and Friends!
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. I went fishing twice this week. The weather in Florida in recent days has
been windy, and rainy, and cold. But, I
still got in two days on the water.
·
February 4 bass fishing with Alaskan friend,
Fred Vasilie: https://photos.app.goo.gl/tTywcCmeH5j9PTP27
·
On February 5, my niece, KJ Fogarty, and her
husband, Brian, took Fred and I fishing along the shores of the Gulf of Mexico
in their airboat. Here are a few
pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/MN2CkopnwVH7UAJn8
*****
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
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