Dear
Fellow Children of God,
In
1994 I was fishing for king salmon on the Little Susitna River with my brother,
Stephen, who was visiting Alaska from Florida.
We floated down the river in a canoe and, with help from a friendly
fellow fisherman, hooked into a BIG fish.
This king swam back and forth, taking line. We could not get it to the surface, so we
patiently waited to tire the fish to land it. Then . . . I heard a loud ‘click.’ The plastic bait-casting reel I had brought
from Florida 3 years earlier popped a gear.
The line went slack and the fish got off. That reel, meant for smaller fish, had
already caught quite a few king salmon, but now it was worn out!
My
friend, Dave Nufer, taught me about fishing for kings. Among other things, Dave used a better
fishing reel than I did. He used an Abu
Garcia 5500 C3. It was made in Sweden
and engineered well. The C3 was made of
metal, not plastic. After the failure of
my plastic reel, I bought two of these better quality reels in the early to
mid-90’s.
The
reason I’m telling you this is because my Abu Garcia reel now seems to have “worn
out.” I went fishing out of Seward with
friends on August 21. The reel worked
pretty well that day, but it had a whining sound. The local Mat-Su Valley reel repairman has
moved to Oregon. So, I tried to clean
and lube the old reel myself. I have accomplished
this service on a number of similar reels in the past. But, this time I ran into a problem. The ’brake’ on the reel is a metal arm with a circle hole in it. The hole fits over a brass post. The brake is
supposed to be perpendicular to the body of the reel. When it is working correctly, this arm, or brake,
engages some gears and stops the reel from spinning backwards. However, on my reel the brake no longer sits
perpendicular on that brass post, but is loose, and sort of leans in a downward
direction. It does not engage the gear,
and does not stop the reel. I guess even
metal parts wear out after 30 years. ☹
As
I thought about my fishing reel, I also realized that Kathy and I are facing other
similar issues. Since I’ve been home to
Alaska, we have replaced a hot water heater, an over-the-kitchen-sink light,
and paid to have our clothes dryer repaired. However, it is not just our home which needed
repair. During our time in Alaska this
summer we planned check-ups at our doctors.
But the two of us have had multiple visits with our dentists, our eye
doctors, and my dermatologist. We only had
to visit our family doctors once each, but have still been in touch after our
primary visits. I guess as we age, though
we do try to care for ourselves, even our bodies ‘wear out.’
Where
can we find something that lasts? What
can we count on in this world? Where can
we find something that will NOT wear out?
Because our world is corrupted by sin, Scripture teaches that we live in
a world where things do wear out. “All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is
like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades
when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass.” (Isaiah
40:6-7) But, the LORD, nevertheless, is unchanging. “The grass withers, the flower fades, but
the word of our God will stand forever.”
(Isaiah 40:8)
In
the New Testament Jesus acknowledges that sin has brought death and decay into
our world and into the lives of the children of our Heavenly Father. Nevertheless, admitting the fading worth of
this world, Jesus points us to what lasts.
“19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves
treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do
not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your
heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21) Spiritual treasure, the blessings of
heaven, do not fade. God’s truth from 1
Corinthians further confirms what DOES last.
“13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but
the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)
The
reason spiritual blessings from God do not wear our, is because the Lord
Himself is eternal. Listen to the Old
Testament. “6 "For I
the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.”
(Malachi 3:6) The Lord and His grace are
unchanging! In the New Testament
we are reminded of the One who is the ultimate eternal. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and
today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)
In
Jesus, our Lord does give us what LASTS and does not wear out. “27 My sheep hear my voice, and
I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life,
and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”
(John 10:27-28) By Jesus’ death on the
cross He overcomes the sin which causes our lives and possessions to wear out. By Jesus’ resurrection He gives what does not
wear out, eternal life in heaven. This
is especially comforts me, because I know 2 young men, and 4 elderly ladies who
recently left the decay of this life, for the eternal blessings of heaven.
As
I worked on my fishing reel, and then spent money on a new one, after having
spent money and time on home repair and doctors, I asked myself, “Where do I
spend most of my time? Where do I spend
most of my resources? Do I spend my time
and resources on the fading, wearing-out, things of this world? Or, do I give attention to the Lord who does
not change? Do I work on my relationship
with Jesus?”
Isaiah
teaches, “8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of
our God will stand forever.” I want to spend quality time in the Word of
God. In fact, JESUS is . . . THE Word of
God. (John 1:1-3, 14) Jesus gives what does not wear out!
A Child of God, Seeking What Does Not WEAR OUT, But Lasts Forever - In 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!
RALLY
DAY – THE FIRST DAY OF SUNDAY SCHOOL is this Sunday, September 8. Parents, Grandparents, Uncles and Aunts,
Neighbors, bring your children to Sunday School.
Children begin in worship at 10:00
a.m.. Early in the service, after the
Children’s Message, children leave for lesson, craft, and snack.
THANK YOU Sunday School Teachers and
staff!
FIRST
LUTHERAN IS BACK IN THE CALL PROCESS. We
are receiving nominations and names of pastors who would serve the Lord and His
people well at First Lutheran in Gainesville.
PLEASE
CONTINUE TO KEEP THE FIRST LUTHERAN CALL PROCESS IN YOUR PRAYERS.
WHILE
I AM IN ALASKA
·
Pastor
Stephen Lane has led worship and Bible Class on Sundays, August 4 and 11. He
will also be leading worship on September 1 and 8.
·
Pastor
Doug Bock led worship and Bible Class on Sundays, August 18 and 25.
THANKYOU
PASTORS LANE AND BOCK!!
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 have been teaching.
WE
CONTINUE TO READ THROUGH THE SCRIPTURE IN 2024 and 2025 using the Today’s
Light Devotional Bible. We have finished
reading the book of 2 Kings, and have started the book of 1 Chronicles. Today’s devotion from 1 Chronicles 22 is
based on the reading for Wednesday, August 28.
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 I have recently received questions and
comments. It is always good to consider
our Lord’s love and guidance. I will TRY to answer, but some things only God
knows!
FIRST
LUTHERAN HAS BEGUN A ROOF FUND, and an AIR CONDITIONER FUND. The roofs are
still in relatively 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,
our Air Conditioners are old and need replacing. The combined amount for repairs will total a
significant sum.
Please consider how God may lead you
toward these needs in the future.
P.P.S.
PICTURES – AND OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST
·
This past
week we picked raspberries again from our bushes / vines. I
ate raspberries for breakfast each day, and then Kathy, and our daughter, Mary,
and our granddaughter, Annie, spent Monday making jam. We have raspberry jelly, raspberry currant
jelly, and strawberry rhubarb jelly.
Yum! Here is one picture. https://photos.app.goo.gl/Kd7ejFTRm8hsWYTB8
·
I went fishing
on Monday, September 2, at Montana Creek and Sheep Creek. The water was high,
and I am used to fishing for salmon, not trout.
Here is one picture. https://photos.app.goo.gl/upNVtQxoyib5LbCZ7
·
I ate
breakfast with long-time friend and St. John member, Jack Forrester. (In
May we had visited Jack and Kris’ son, JC, in Destin.) Here is a picture. https://photos.app.goo.gl/yovUsE4pvoYQE6Ww5
·
GRANDKIDS - I tell people to put their phones away during worship. But on Sunday, September 1, I took this
picture of granddaughter, Annie, serving as acolyte at St. John. We also spent Saturday watching the FL Gator
game with our son and a number of grandchildren. (Gators lost ☹)
And we saw Emma play volleyball on Tuesday, September 3. Here is a picture of Annie acolyting. https://photos.app.goo.gl/fS61kvRba81DNNvT9
*******
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)
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