This weekend the United States celebrates
Memorial Day. Most U.S. citizens know
that our country observes this holiday to rightfully honor those who cared
enough about others, who cared enough about their country, to give the ultimate
sacrifice. We honor those who died for
others, because their sacrifice has won freedom for our country, freedom for
each of us.
However, as our country prepares to honor
those who gave their lives, we are again overwhelmed by gut-wrenching news
about another person who has taken lives.
As I write this devotion, the latest reports are that on Tuesday, May 24
a gunman in Uvalde, Texas, took the lives of 19 elementary school students and
the lives of two teachers. This gunman
did not give his life. He took
lives. Worst, he took the lives of
innocent children and teachers. I heard
a number of well-known people ask, “Why does this keep happening?” I am sure we all have the same question.
Many public figures
shared why they believe our country faces these horrors so often. Some of the reasons given include gun laws,
or racism, or open borders, or terrorism.
Children of God believe that the taking of the life of another breaks
the law of God to “Love the
Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind
and with all your strength.” and to “Love
your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:30-31) In other words, God
calls us to love Him, and to love others. Murder is wrong and deserves punishment. But, saying that the random taking of the
life of an innocent person is wrong, does not explain why this happens.
The bottom line is that the hearts of these
mass murderers are not right. Hearts
that love God and love others make our world a better place to live. But, hearts focused only on themselves, hurt
others. The hurt faced by the families
in Uvalde right now seems unbearable. As
a father of 4 children and grandfather of 6, I cannot imagine if one of them
were to fall victim to such a horrible senseless crime. We need to speak out against such
violence. But, we can also stand with
the families who have faced these horrible losses. Paul talks about love within Jesus’
church. “If one
part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part
rejoices with it.” (1 Corinthians 12:26) We suffer and we grieve
with the families who have fallen victim to this latest shooting.
How can we change hearts? No matter what public figures say, laws do
not change hearts. However, love does change hearts. Listen to God’s Word from 1 John. “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he
loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends,
since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (1 John
4:10-11) Our lack of love, our rebellion, our selfishness, and our hatred
deserve God’s punishment and deserve death.
Instead of giving us what we deserve, God sent His Son who died for our
sins. Jesus’ love for us led Him to die and
sacrifice His life for us. Because God
loves us when we deserve punishment, we are, therefore, called to love
others. Jesus also taught us this truth
in John 15. “12 My
command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no
one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:12-13)
Knowing the surprising, forgiving love of Jesus changes hard and bitter
hearts. Knowing the surprising,
forgiving love of Jesus, God’s children can love others, even those who are
hard to love. God’s children have
learned to trust His love in Jesus. His
love changes our hearts.
So, in this current tragedy, we
don’t just need to simply hang our heads.
In response we want to show love and kindness to those around us. Unexpected love from God changes our
hearts. Unexpected kindness from us can also
touch and even change the heart of another.
Our love and kindness can touch another person, and might even keep them
from committing such horrible actions.
As we prepare this weekend to honor the
sacrifice of those who selflessly gave themselves for us, we are thankful for
their selfless acts of love, and we are furious and angry, we grieve the
senseless taking of lives in Texas, again.
Lord, I pray that your undeserved love in
Jesus for our sinful world changes hearts.
Help each of us, individually, to share your love and kindness. Amen.
A Child of God, Thankful for the Sacrifice of
Others, But Angered and Grieving At those who Take Innocent Lives,
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. St. John is again hosting the town of Palmer
for the Colony Days Picnic on
Saturday, June 11, after the parade. The
meal begins at noon. We have multiple
leaders for each of 5 area of service. PLEASE SIGN UP on the signup sheets in
the back of the narthex at church if you can help cook, in the kitchen, serving
food and ice-cream, setting up and taking down, or marching in the parade. J
P.P.S. I spent May 15-22 working at St. John, and
working in our yard. Our lawn is picked
up and mowed, Our garden is planted.
Visits are made to St. John homebound.
Plans were organized for the Colony Days picnic, and services were
led. I did not go fishing.
*****
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
Emeritus, St. John Lutheran Church
E-Mail: jonrock53@mtaonline.net
cell phone - 907-841-4066
Home phone - 907-746-5131
“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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