Dear
Fellow Children of God,
I want to begin this devotion by
quoting a political commentary, in order to look at a spiritual, Christian, truth. The U.S. Supreme Court has handed down a
number of opinions this summer. I am not
giving my opinion on those decisions. Among
those decisions, one ruled in favor of a postal worker who missed days he was
assigned to work because they fell on a Sabbath. In an opinion piece published on June 29,
2023, Thomas L. Knapp, Director and Senior News Analyst at the William Lloyd
Garrison Center for Libertarian Advocacy Journalism, from Florida, commented on
the court decision. “If he’d sued because working on Sundays interfered with
his enjoyment of a particular brunch buffet, or his ability to keep up with the
pro football season, we’d likely have never heard his name. But his grounds for
action were that a personal friend of his — an invisible friend whose very
existence is hotly debated, but whose supposed opinions he values very much —
doesn’t want him to work on Sundays, so his case made it all the way to the US
Supreme Court.” I am not commenting on Mr. Knapp’s political
affiliation, or even his political opinion.
But, his writing infers his religious belief, a belief which informs his
politics. By speaking of God as ‘an invisible friend whose very existence is
hotly debated,’ Knapp is questioning the very existence of God.
My response is: “Who says there is no God?”
The easy answer to this question would be to quote King David in Psalm
14. “The fool says in his
heart, ‘There is no God.’" (Psalm 14:1) However, while I agree with the truth of this
Bible verse, I do not believe that this is a fruitful way to converse with
someone who doubts the existence of the Creator, the Lord, and the Savior of
the universe. I believe there are better
ways to actually listen to the doubts of another, and better ways to discuss
this issue.
This past weekend Kathy
and Mary and I had the privilege of spending time with Eric and Chris Wyatt,
and their daughters, Sammie and Dani, at their cabin on Kachemack Bay, which
backs up to Seldovia Bay. While there we
saw eagles, crows, puffins, seagulls, loons, and many other birds. We
observed whales blowing. We saw and
caught multiple kinds of fish. We were
entertained by many sea otters, and Mary snapped pictures of a river otter
playing in the boat of the Seldovia harbor master. There were clouds and rain, wind, and also times
of bright sun. We watched the tide come
and go, saw the moon rise in the early morning of July 8. A rainbow over west Kachemack Bay brought
beauty to our time in the cabin. The
cold winds made us glad for the warmth of a wood fire. Tidal pools were full of star fish, sand
dollars, and many other kinds of sea life.
I could go on and on. But, . .
.the splendor of God’s creation was in full display. We were dazzled with diversity, with beauty,
with power and regular cycles of life.
The words of Romans 1 came to mind.
“For since the creation of the world,
God's invisible qualities-- his eternal power and divine nature-- have been
clearly seen, being understood from what has been made . . .” (Romans 1:20)
I have often heard my
wife say, and heard also friends say, “When we look at the world around us, how
could we think this might be just an accident?” We can look around us and see
the order, the power, the splendor, and the beauty. Our world speaks of a Creator. This is natural knowledge of God.
However, there is
another witness to God, and His power, to His love and mercy. That witness is His people. Jesus tells His disciples, as He leaves this
world, “But you will receive power when the
Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all
Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8) WE are witnesses to Jesus – witnesses to
God. And, in 1 Peter, God’s
people are instructed, “15 But
in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer
to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do
this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those
who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of
their slander.” (1 Peter 3:15-16) Our lives and our words are also to be witnesses to
God’ existence, a witness that in God we have ‘reason for hope’ because of
Jesus.
In truth, the evil, the
pain, and the suffering in this world can cause people to wonder how there can
be a loving God. Job knew God, but still
had doubts because of his own suffering.
But, in addition to the beauty of creation around us, when God’s people
let His love shine through us, when we live in peace because Jesus forgives and
saves, when we live in love because we are loved when we do not deserve it,
when we live in faith because we see God work good in our lives even in bad
times, then WE become a witness to God.
In fact, perhaps the FAITH of a Christian is a more powerful witness
than the tangible existence of this world.
I confess, when I heard
someone call God “an invisible friend whose very existence is hotly debated”
I was angered at first. But, really those words sadden me. God offers love, and He gives grace and life
to the whole world in Jesus. I am sad
when someone misses the gift of God’s powerful love in our creation, and in our
Savior.
How about you? Do you say, “There is a God . . . and I know
Him.”? Can others see God in you?
A Child of God, Knowing
God Through Creation, and Through His Grace For Me in Jesus!
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. This week seven people from St. John travel
to Eek, Alaska, to conduct Vacation Bible School July 13-16. Please keep Temple Christiansen, Pastor
Davis, and his daughter Talia, Sara Guhl, and her grandson Gaelen, Marilee
Nufer, and myself in prayer as we seek to bring God’s love again to this
village.
P.P.S. Our garden is doing well. We are eating lettuce, spinach, radishes and
even a few strawberries. I weeded on
July 11. Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/EmPPRP4YtS3SEy359
P.P.P.S. As I mentioned above, Kathy and Mary and I
enjoyed a weekend in Seldovia with Eric and Chris Wyatt and their daughters,
Sammie and Dani, at their cabin. We are
grateful.
·
Here are some pictures of the beauty and
wildlife we enjoyed in Seldovia. https://photos.app.goo.gl/gtPEfutUYGtgMEiV9
·
Here are some pictures from a fishing trip on
July 8. We caught 4 limits of Black Rock
Fish/bass. https://photos.app.goo.gl/9C8fp5gkeoixt9Kg7
·
Here are some pictures from a fishing trip on
July 10. We caught 5 limits of Black
Rock Fish/bass, and also 4 kelp fish. https://photos.app.goo.gl/xqH8qdqPpADj4R2b6
*******
ABOUT THIS DEVOTION - I retired
at the end of August 2019 from serving as senior full-time 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.
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 3:1 a)
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