Perhaps you know
that the 2022 Paralympics will be held in Bejing, China, beginning Friday,
March 4. Members of St. John Lutheran in Palmer, Alaska, are excited because
this is the second Paralympics in which congregational member, Grace Miller,
has competed. Members of St. John have
watched Grace grow up, and we are proud of her accomplishments. Even though Grace
is now often away at college or in training, it is wonderful to see her grow
into a woman of faith who has a zest for life and a plan for the future. Perhaps you know that Grace graduated from
college last year after attending UAF and UAA, and she is now applying to be
accepted to study to become a Physician’s Assistant.
But, do you know
that Grace’s future was not always so bright?
Having been born in China, without all of her left arm, and as a girl,
Grace was considered unwanted in that society, and by that government. It brings tears to my eyes to share that,
according to Grace’s mom, Kym, Grace is one of those called a “throw away
child.” Kym told me, “That term ‘throw away child’ is what the Chinese call the
children in orphanages. . . I have always been completely honest and matter of
fact about how she ended up in her orphanage, . . . in a kind way. I have told
her about the ‘1 child policy’, and said that, even though her mother knew that
she couldn’t keep her, she left her outside an old folks home right before they
opened. She was left under the south branch of a tree to protect her, wrapped
in a cloth.”
I also researched
this issue on the internet. In a story
from September 3, 1995, in The Orlando Sentinel I read, “Reports that hundreds of thousands of crippled,
handicapped or unwanted children - most of them girls - are deserted every year
by their parents and left in dilapidated state-run nursing homes are haunting
communist China as the fourth United Nations World Conference on Women begins
Monday in Beijing.” For those of
us who know this beautiful young woman, who has been a good friend to others at
St. John, who has proved to be a good student in high school and in college, who
has played the trumpet for worship, and who has accomplished much in athletics,
it surprises and offends us to think that anyone would want to “throw away”
Grace. Unfortunately, this term is not
just used in China. We also hear the term in America. Those called ‘Throwaway Kids’ are “a
group whose growing numbers have alarmed social workers, who call them ‘throwaway
kids,' young people whose parents
do not want them or cannot feed them or abuse them so badly that they cannot go
home.” (New York
Times, June 3, 1983) The same tragedy happens
in the US too, only without government sanction. And this term, “Throw away child,” just
refers to those who have been born. Consider
the tens of millions of children not allowed to be born because of
abortion? My heart aches for all of these
‘Throw away children!’
Yes, being a parent is difficult. Parenting has always been challenging, and is
perhaps more so today. Yes, we know that
some adults do not have the resources to serve as good providers and loving
parents. But, should not our society
then find a way so that all children receive love and care? Jesus told the people of His day, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the
kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (Mark 10:14) Should not Jesus’ church help in finding ways
to care for these children? I am thankful for
parents, like Kym, who have taken on the challenge of adopting so that those children
are loved. I am thankful for parents
whose children have challenges, yet these parents meet the challenges and find
ways to care for their children. I am very
thankful for parents who teach their children about Jesus.
Let me state plainly,
that WITH GOD NO ONE IS A 'THROW AWAY CHILD!'
Please consider just some of the Words of our Lord about His love for
us.
We are told in
Psalm 139:13-16, “13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me
together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and
wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame
was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven
together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the
days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!” God knows us and loves us from
conception!
The prophet Isaiah
teaches us about God’s love for His people.
“14 But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me,
the Lord has forgotten me." 15 "Can a mother forget the baby at her
breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may
forget, I will not forget you! 16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before
me.” (Isaiah 49:14-16)
This verse has to be comforting to a “throw away child.” Parents cannot forget their children. But, if
a mother could forget, God does not
forget us!!!
St. Paul affirms
God’s love for ALL people when he wrote the Christians in Corinth, “And he
[Christ] died for all, that
those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for
them and was raised again.” (2 Corinthians 5:15) When
some would throw away another human being, God loves us so much His Son died
for us!
My
wife, Kathy, was talking recently with Grace’s mom, Kym. After the conversation, Kathy said to me,
“It’s amazing what Grace has done! She’s
going back to the place that ‘threw her away’ to compete in the
Paralympics!” But, remember, GOD THROWS
NO ONE AWAY! We can say with the
Psalmist, “Give thanks to the LORD, for he
is good. His love endures forever.” (Psalm 136:1)
A Child of God, Thankful
that With God there are NO THROW AWAY CHILDREN!
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. Keeping track
of photos in this digital age is amazing.
As I take pictures of church functions and fishing trips, I find I have
many pictures of Grace.
·
Here are pictures of
Grace in her recent athletic endeavors and competitions. https://photos.app.goo.gl/5UsdYJTGrbKF8fgW9
·
Google Photos keeps
track of people by faces. Here is what my Google Photos account found for
Grace. https://photos.app.goo.gl/sJAcSTqjSHS34auR9
·
Kym also shared this
information with me. “If you are ever interested- there is a book called “the
lost daughters of China” that is written by a talented Chinese American women
author- it explains the harsh result of this situation in China- on the women
and families caught up in it. This book is what urged me to explore adoption
from China.”
P.P.S. 2022 Paralympics
Information.
·
The 2022 Paralympic
Winter Games will take place from Friday, March 4 – Sunday, March 13.
·
Here is a TV Schedule for
the Paralympic games I found on the Internet: https://www.nbcolympics.com/schedule/sport/cross-country-skiing/paralympics
P.P.P.S. Kathy
and I have worked to try to give Christian care to children. Among other donations we make, we donate
monthly to the following ministries which give Christian care to children. Have you found a way to share Jesus’ love?
·
Heartreach Crisis Pregnancy Center in
Wasilla. https://www.heartreachalaska.com
·
Compassion International. Over the last 25-30 years our family has sponsored
3 young girls in Christian centers in Ethiopia.
https://www.compassion.com
P.P.P.P.S. Yes, on a lighter note I did go fishing twice
in the last week.
·
On Thursday, February 24, I fished on the
Suwannee River with brother-in-law Mark Reaves.
We saw LOTS of gators, and caught a couple of fish which we threw
back. https://photos.app.goo.gl/zqAQpLdPiUfnxkUq5
·
On Tuesday, March 1, I went fishing by myself at
Rodman Reservoir. The fishing was slow,
but I had 6 bites and caught two nice bass.
I also saw two manatees. Here are
pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/HFvaFxD8wchs4hyP7
*****
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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