Desiring to Cling to Jesus as My Priceless Treasure!

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

Are you concerned by the direction our world is going?  I confess to my worry and concern.  I ask this question because in my daily devotions last week I read from Deuteronomy 31, where the Lord told Moses, “For when I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to give to their fathers, and they have eaten and are full and grown fat, they will turn to other gods and serve them, and despise me and break my covenant. (Deuteronomy 31:20)  God foresaw that the Israelites would be distracted from following Him when they found prosperity and wealth in The Promised Land.  Their possessions would turn them from the Lord.  They would even despise the Lord and break His covenant, because of their desire for their possessions.

 

This got me to thinking of our own culture.  The western world, our own country as well, has grown in prosperity so much that many see wealth as a right rather than as a blessing, rather than as a tool to serve the Lord and spread His kingdom.  We may not necessarily feel we are well off compared to others in our own culture.  However, compared to many in the world we are rich.  So, are we like the Israelites?  Does our love for our possessions turn us from the Lord?

 

The assigned Gospel Lesson for worship this Sunday, May 5, comes from John 15.  Jesus will teach His disciples, ¹²“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends.”  Our earthly possessions are gifts from God.  But, His greatest gift to us is love!  Jesus loved and laid down His life for His friends, for us, and even for His enemies who despise Him.  The eternal love of God, and the life which His love brings, are more valuable than temporal things of this world.

 

Jesus warned, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26)  I am not sure that the people of our time, nor even those of Moses’ time, understood these warnings of love from our Lord.  It is wise to cling to God who brings love and life, rather than clinging to possessions which will only distract us from our Lord’s love and which will pass away.

 

I mentioned this topic to a friend this past week and he said, “Watch out!  What about all those fishing poles you have?”  Like the world around me, I also am in danger of going astray by chasing the things of this life, possessions which fade.  I personally do not want to love my possessions so that I despise the one who laid down His life for me.  My heart longs to love God and to use the possessions He has given that I may serve Him.  But . . . how am I doing?

 

Do you remember the old German hymn, “Jesus Priceless Treasure?”

 

1     Jesus, priceless treasure, Fount of purest pleasure,
    Truest friend to me,
Ah, how long in anguish Shall my spirit languish,
    Yearning, Lord, for Thee?
        Thou art mine, O Lamb divine!
I will suffer naught to hide Thee; Naught I ask beside Thee.

 

4     Hence, all earthly treasure! Jesus is my pleasure,
    Jesus is my choice.
Hence, all empty glory! Naught to me thy story
    Told with tempting voice.
        Pain or loss, Or shame or cross,
Shall not from my Savior move me, Since He deigns to love me. 

                                                                       (Lutheran Service Book, 743)

 

I pray that my heart sees my Lord as my greatest treasure, rather than the things of this world.  I pray such clear vision and faith for you as well.

 

A Child of God, Desiring to Cling to Jesus as My Priceless Treasure,

Pastor Jonathan

 

P.S.  You might also want to read and consider these two Scripture verses:

·       Proverbs 30:7-9.  ⁷ “Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: ⁸ Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, ⁹ lest I be full and deny you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.” (Proverbs 30:7-9) 

·       1 Timothy 6:9-10.  “⁹ But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”

 

 

 

P.P.S.  Here is a link to one version of the hymn, “Jesus Priceless Treasure.”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=73CQ8WVImcE   

 

P.P.P.S.   NEWS AND MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES AT First Lutheran Church – Gainesville!

           

 

CALL COMMITTEE NEWS – Members turned in names of potential people to consider as the new pastor for First Lutheran.  On Monday, April 22, President, Mark Hoyer, sent 8 names to the FL-GA District Office.  District will check the availability of these men to receive a call, and return a list of potential pastors to us to consider as the next pastor at First Lutheran.  Please keep this process in prayer.

 

A STUDY OF THE BOOK OF ACTS continues on Sunday mornings at 8:45 a.m. in the Besalski Fellowship Hall.  We finished chapter 14 and began chapter 15 on April 28.  Chapter 15 is a very important chapter about the direction of the early church.  Come and join us in studying about the history of the early Christian Church!

 

WE CONTINUE TO READ THROUGH THE SCRIPTURE IN 2024 and 2025 using the Today’s Light Devotional Bible.  On May we started Joshua 1.  The Lord called Joshua to be courageous, and also directed Joshua to be in His Word.

Feel free to contact Pastor Rockey if you have any questions at 907-841-4066, or at jonrock53@mtaonline.net

 

SUNDAY SCHOOL IS HELD EACH SUNDAY DURING WORSHIP.  PLEASE bring your children and grandchildren!

 

P.P.S.  PICTURES – AND OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST

 

OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST –

 

·       My garden continues to grow.  On April 30 we ate salad with lettuce and tomatoes from our garden.  Here is a picture. https://photos.app.goo.gl/kCpx3pTDQWF72XDZA

 

·       I am supposed to work half time at First Lutheran, so in addition to fishing, I also golf.  On Monday, April 29, 3 of us on a team hit to the green on an extremely difficult par 5 hole.  Look at the location of these 3 balls.  Fred Brenneman is standing with our shots.  We were happy with our shots.  However, I missed my putt . . .  again!  😊   Here is a picture. https://photos.app.goo.gl/SFTYe9gfaBGAWsDp7

 

·       I went fishing THREE TIMES since my last devotion. 

o   On Thursday, April 25, I went fishing with friend and First Lutheran congregational president, Mark Hoyer, out of Cedar Key.  We caught 8 species of fish, and saw porpoise, turtles, and manatees.  The weather was wonderful.  It was a great day.  Here are some pictures.  https://photos.app.goo.gl/GnVjxJ1MLMhjbQAr6

 

o   On Friday, April 26, long-time friends, Rick and Kris Armstrong visited the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings state historic site with Kathy and me.  Then Rick and I went fishing at Orange Lake.  Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/qjLobuyQm51Wnnbk8

 

o   On Sunday, April 28, after a day of Bible Class and worship, I fished for a few hours in a local lake.  I came home with 5 bass and 1 bream.  Here is a picture.  https://photos.app.goo.gl/ayZrwvpmh5EADSVe6

 

*******

 

ABOUT THIS DEVOTION - I retired at the end of August 2019 from serving as full-time 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.  (Currently I am serving as Vacancy Pastor for First Lutheran Church in Gainesville, FL.)

        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

Vacancy Pastor, First Lutheran Church, Gainesville, FL

Pastor Emeritus, St. John Lutheran Church, Palmer, AK

 

 

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)