Dear
Fellow Children of God,
I
have written previously about friends.
However, last Saturday I was blessed in a way which deserves
recognition. I also believe we can all
learn more about the parable of the Good Samaritan, and about Jesus, from the
kind, giving help I received from my new ‘friend.’
I
have been back in Alaska about 10 days.
But, last week my son, Tim, wanted to fish for red salmon on the Kenai
River. I have been doing some work on my
boats, so I had not taken my Kenai boat on an actual fishing trip. Nevertheless, in order to take Tim fishing I
arose at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 3, and drove to the Kenai Peninsula to
fish. My truck pulled back into my
driveway in Palmer at 1:20 a.m. Sunday morning.
Partly
because I was hurrying to make the fishing trip happen, I did not have
everything totally in order. I had
tested the boat and knew it ran. I was
loaded with fishing gear, and life jackets, and full on fuel. However, I had moved items around in my
storage compartments and was not 100% sure where everything was. Also, I had charged the battery in the boat
for about 2-3 hours on Tuesday. But, the
boat has been idle since the 2023 fishing season. As you will see, I should have charged my
battery longer. I just did not yet realize
that fact.
We
pulled into the Bings Landing Boat Ramp on the Kenai to launch the boat. Tim has developed skills with trailers, and he
helped me launch the boat. With my
vessel in the water on the trailer, the motor fired right up, I backed off, and
Tim drove the trailer about a half mile away to find a parking space. When he arrived at the dock, I turned the
key. This time, the motor did not start
right away. Then it did not crank as
well as before. Finally, when I turned
the key, nothing happened to my outboard.
What
does a person do in a situation like this?
We had left Palmer and Anchorage early in order to fish. The drive was about 185 miles from my house
one way. I wanted to spend time with my
son, and he wanted time with a pole in his hand. But I also did not want to be unsafe! I was actually thinking of giving up on the
trip.
Perhaps
surprisingly, a man in the boat in front of us on the dock asked if we were
having battery troubles and needed help. I later learned his name was Doug. Doug’s boat also had a 50 HP Yamaha outboard,
and he had a pull cord. However, the boat
battery needs to be charged enough for the pull cord to work. Well, the next option Doug came up with was
to jump my motor from his battery. Our
jumper cables were in our truck. So Tim
ran ½ mile to the truck, and a half mile back to the boat. Yup!
Our motor started right up on the first turn of my key. But, did I want to go upstream wondering if
my boat would die, or if it would not start after fishing? Doug gave me his phone number, and suggested
I follow him to his place on the river.
He said, if need be, he had a volt meter, and a charger, and could help
me out. So, I followed Doug to his
family cabin and the boat was running well (if not the boat driver – but that
is another story). Tim and I went upstream and fished for about 7 hours. Yes, the motor did start later when I fired
the ignition and we made it home safely with 2 nice sockeye salmon.
Through
all this ordeal I felt like the helpless man in Jesus’ parable of the Good
Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37. In that
account, a man was beaten and left beside the road, in need, to possibly die. Thankfully, a Samaritan, a man who was
considered an outcast – almost an enemy- stopped to help the injured Jewish
man. The Samaritan put his life in
danger in an area where robbers worked.
The Samaritan showed concern and care, nursing the wounds of the wounded
man. The Samaritan paid for the injured man’s care. The Samaritan did not even know the wounded
man, except that he was a fellow human being. Yet this nameless Samaritan man gave of his
time and concern and resources for the wounded Jewish man. By the way, Jesus taught this parable to a
Jewish religious leader who had asked Jesus whom he was required to
love. “Who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29)
After relating the parable, Jesus’ answer to the religious leader was, “You,
go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:37)
When
I think of my new friend, Doug, I realize he went above and beyond. He did not know me. I was just a stranger in need. Doug did not have to take his time to help
me. But he did help, and offered more
help if I needed it.
Have
you considered God’s love for us through Jesus in this way. We want to be able to take care of ourselves –
silly us! But when we weren’t asking for
help, God the Father sent His Son. When
we didn’t want to admit our need and sin, Jesus lived for us and, more
surprisingly, Jesus died to pay for our sins.
For people who are totally helpless on their own – like we are - Jesus
rose and won eternal life for people who truly have no hope in themselves. Jesus is The Friend we may wish we did not
need, but The Friend who went beyond anything we would do, so that He could
save us.
Since
Jesus has been THE Friend who lays down His life for us, with whom can you
share friendship and love, even if you do not know the person? With whom can you
share Jesus’ love?
A
Child of God, Thankful for the Real, Sacrificing Friendship of Jesus!
Pastor
Rockey
P.S. I am in Alaska for 6 weeks. But I can still share some news of happenings
at First Lutheran Church in Gainesville, where I am still vacancy pastor.
P.P.S. NEWS AND MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES AT
First Lutheran Church – Gainesville!
THANK
YOU TO Stephanie Smith for the concert at First Lutheran last Saturday,
August 3!
FIRST
LUTHERAN VOTED TO CALL PASTOR JAY WINTERS on Sunday,, July 28, in a
congregational meeting after worship. We are awaiting word from Pastor Winters
as He seeks God’s guidance as to where he should serve.
PLEASE
CONTINUE TO KEEP THIS PROCESS IN YOUR PRAYERS.
WHILE
I AM IN ALASKA
·
Pastor
Stephen Lane will lead worship and Bible Class on Sundays, August 4 and 11, and
September 1 and 8.
·
Pastor
Doug Bock will lead worship and Bible Class on Sundays, August 18 and 25.
WE
CONTINUE TO STUDY THE BOOK OF ACTS on Sunday mornings at 8:45 a.m. in the
Besalski Fellowship Hall. Pastors Lane
and Bock will continue teaching.
WE
CONTINUE TO READ THROUGH THE SCRIPTURE IN 2024 and 2025 using the Today’s
Light Devotional Bible. We are currently
reading about Elijah and Elisha in the book of 2 Kings.
Feel free to contact Pastor Rockey at 907-841-4066 if
you have any questions about these readings.
Or send an e-mail question to jonrock53@mtaonline.net
FIRST
LUTHERAN HAS BEGUN A ROOF FUND, and an AIR CONDITIONER FUND. In an announcement
at the May 19 Voters’ Meeting we learned that to put a new roof on the
sanctuary, the office building, the fellowship hall, the preschool, and the
student housing will cost about $200,000.00
The roofs are still in good shape.
But we have had leaks, and it has been about 20 years since the roof was
last replaced. First Lutheran leaders
want to act before the roofs fail.
In addition, we learned at the June
Mission and Ministry Council meeting that our Air Conditioners are old and will
need replacing.
Please consider how God may lead you
toward these needs in the future.
P.P.S.
PICTURES – AND OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST
·
Kathy and I
are enjoying the beauty of Alaska. Here are a couple of pictures from our front porch and front
yard. https://photos.app.goo.gl/LeZec6hXBo3AJfke6
·
While I did
not plant a garden in Alaska this year, THE BERRIES ARE STILL BEARING
FRUIT! Here are some pictures of the end of our strawberries and
the beginning of our raspberries. Yum! https://photos.app.goo.gl/ejRbY1HXnybAD3Qd7
·
I did help
organize the 29th Palmer Kiwanis Golf Tournament on Friday, August
2.
Can you believe that Ned Entwistle won this statue???? (The club raised
about $4,000.00 to help children in our community. 😊 https://photos.app.goo.gl/cyWX3q4d3EJWd8pJ6
·
I did get my
Kenai boat up and running. Here are some pictures from Wednesday, Tuesday, July 31. The boat has a new floor, and a newer
outboard. 😊 https://photos.app.goo.gl/PHCbMUJjpj1QeQEV9
·
I did take
Tim fishing on the Kenai even though
salmon fishing is slow in our area. Here
are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/ndwbBFY8veFgbFhn9
·
When our
family moved to Palmer in 1991, the Snodgrass family were very active. I
ran into Tyler and Travis Snodgrass on the bank of the river on Saturday and we
caught up. 😊 They both now live in Anchorage.
·
Pastor Tony
Schultz and I went golfing on a cloudy Tuesday.
BUT, the view is breath-taking. https://photos.app.goo.gl/nYT1dedBF6SLsB7HA
·
In addition
. . . Kathy and I are visiting our doctors
while in town. I have seen 3 doctors,
with one more coming. Kathy has seen
two, with more fun to come. AND, we now
have a new “on demand water heater.” No
sitting around in the Rockey house!
*******
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. (However, I am currently 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)
No comments:
Post a Comment