Dear Fellow Children of God,
On Tuesday morning, December 9, I looked at my wife and
let out a sigh as I declared, “Whew! We
made it through!” She simply replied,
"We made it through.” On Friday we saw
the weather forecast of a coming windstorm.
These storms happen in the Mat-Su Valley, usually in the winter. One newspaper report talked of 80 mph gusts
with this storm. However, we have had stronger
storms. I was once told that this wind
is a result of the “Venturi Effect,” because of the narrow Matanuska River canyon. I also read this week that the National
Weather Service calls this type of phenomenon a “Bora.” Either way Kathy tells me, “In Florida when a
hurricane arrives they give it a name, and the winds last 8-12 hours. In Palmer when the wind blows for days,
people just say, ‘The wind is blowing in Palmer.’”
Our power went out right after supper on Saturday evening
around 6:30 p.m., and returned about 36 hours later on Monday morning around
5:30 a.m. So I woke on Sunday morning for
church with a flashlight, thankful for a shower the previous morning. We disconnected the garage door and manually
lifted the door. My breakfast came from
the Eagle River McDonald’s drive-thru.
We ran our gas fire place during those 36 hours, because our heat was
not working. We also fired up a Little Buddy propane heater and put it in our
garage under our hot water heater, since the dog water had a film of ice.
I checked on an elderly next door neighbor, and also went
to see how our son, Andrew, was doing.
Then, on Sunday evening our neighbors, who have a generator and
therefore did have power, noticed us in our living room reading by flashlight, of
which thankfully have a good supply.
They invited us over for some warmth and a meal. We had a really nice
visit.
By far, we were not the folks with the longest power
outage. Our son’s power went out before
ours while he was at work, and did not come back on until about 14 or 15 hours
later than ours did. We know of other people
who endured even longer outages.
On Monday, as the power returned and life started to
return to normal, I picked up around our house.
A birdhouse had blown off it’s post.
Our flag pole was out of the holder.
Our grills had been blown off our back porch. I had some repair to do to a hose
holder. We now have to do work again on
the lights on our front yard Christmas tree.
But, others lost trees, roofs, fences, sheds, outhouses, and other items
in their yards and on their houses. We
got off easy, I think.
I started thinking (as a Christian pastor might) about
windstorms in the Bible. Elijah awaited
the coming of the Lord in 1 Kings 19:11.
We read, “ . . . a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke
in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind.” Paul endured a ‘northeaster’ on a large cargo
ship with 275 other people on the Mediteranean Sea for 14 days. (Acts 27) But
the verse that stuck in my mind is from Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus in
John 3. As Nicodemus questions Jesus
about how people are “born again,” Jesus replies, “The wind blows where it
wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or
where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." (John
3:8)
Where DOES the wind come from? I read of jet streams, high and low pressure,
of various weather forecasts and geological features. Yet, why at one time does the jet stream move
in one direction, and in another at other times? What causes the high and low pressure systems
to stay, or to move? Who causes, or created, the geology of our area, and other
areas of the world? Jesus says of the
wind, “you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.” I believe that even educated scientists and
meteorologists can not tell us what our weather will be a year from now. But, there is one who does know; the Lord
God, the Creator of the Earth.
Instructive to me, Jesus compares the coming of the wind
to being ‘born of the Spirit.’ He compares the source of the wind to a person
coming to faith. We don’t always
understand how and when a person is ‘born of the Spirt.’ Still, Jesus does call
Nicodemus, and He does call us to this mysterious birth, to this life of
faith. He tells Nicodemus, "Truly,
truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of
God." (John 3:3), and further explains, "Truly, truly, I say
to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom
of God.” (John 3:5) I understand
Jesus to say that He works through the Holy Spirit and through baptism to bring
people to faith. Yet, when that happens
it’s still a mystery.
The truth is that the wind can and does disrupt our
lives. Buildings are damaged. Power goes out. Schools and businesses close.
The new birth of faith in Jesus changes our lives too. We don’t have to wonder if we are loved, and therefore
do TO others before they do to us.
Instead, we can live in the assurance of the love of our Heavenly Father
who sent His Son. Our priorities change
when Jesus comes through faith. We don’t
live for ourselves, but “for Him who died for us and rose again.”
(2 Corinthians 5:15 b). We need fear
nothing in this world because, as Jesus told Nicodemus, "For God so
loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should
not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
A windstorm may stop our lives for a bit, and cause some
life issues. The coming of Jesus,
through believing in Him, changes our lives for eternity, and bring everlasting
life, and love, and blessings! Blow in
my life, Lord, Jesus!
A Child of God, Blown Around by the Alaskan Winds, Desiring
the Winds of Jesus!
Pastor Rockey
P.S. I am now
serving Our Redeemer Lutheran in Chugiak, AK, as part-time Vacancy Pastor.
· Pastor
Craig Schultz will begin serving Our Redeemer as Interim / Vacancy Pastor
in January. Pastor Rockey’s last Sunday
at Our Redeemer is January 4. Then he
will go to Gainesville, FL, and serve there where he was scheduled to return
this past fall. Pastor Schultz will
preach at Anchorage Lutheran Church on January 4, and then Our Redeemer
Lutheran on January 11, 2026.
· SPECIAL
HOLIDAY WORSHIP SERVICES: In
addition to regular Sunday worship at 10:00 each week, Our Redeemer has planned
special worship services through the Holidays.
There are services every Wednesday, AND Christmas Day. You might note these on your calendar
o
Mid-Week Advent 2 Worship, The Angel and Mary
- Wednesday, December 10, at 6:30 p.m.
o
Mid-Week Advent 3 Worship, The Angel and
Joseph - Wednesday, December 17, at 6:30 p.m.
o
Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship
§
Focus on Children – Wednesday, December
24, 5:00 p.m.
§
Christmas Eve for all – Wednesday,
December 24, 7:00 p.m.
o
Christmas Day Worship – Thursday,
December 25, 10:00 a.m.
o
New Year’s Eve Worship – Wednesday,
December 31, at 6:30 p.m.
·
The Our Redeemer Call Committee includes
Elder and chairman, Jerry Simpson, also Heidi Enlow, Theo Lee, Jacob Lewis,
Scott Roelfs, and Martha Wilkins. They
have met numerous times.
The first step
in the call process was to complete a congregational self-study we received
from the Northwest District. The
committee asked for and received input from ORLC for this study. Nomination forms for names for a new pastor were
also distributed. The self-study, and
nominations for pastor, were indeed sent to the Northwest District by October
1, 2025.
Our Redeemer
received a list of names of possible future pastors for Our Redeemer from the Northwest
District on Wednesday, November 26. The
next meeting is Tuesday, December 9 at 6:30 p.m.
OTHER EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES AT OUR REDEEMER:
·
There are two opportunities a week for exercise
and wellness.
o Matt
Keith leads Chayon Ryu Martial Arts Class on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:30
a.m. in the Our Redeemer Fellowship Hall
o Matt
then teaches an Elder Momentum Class, attended mostly by seniors, at 10:00 a.m.
in the fellowship hall.
·
A “Mom’s Group” meets on the first and
third Mondays at 10:30 a.m. at Our Redeemer.
·
An Adult Fellowship Potluck is held the
first Tuesday of each month at 11:30 a.m.
- Youth Group
meets after worship on one Sunday each month. The
will NOT meet in December, but return in January.
·
A Memory Café for families dealing
with the issues of dementia was held at Our Redeemer on Friday November 14. There was good attendance, including some
families from the community. The next
Memory Café is scheduled for Friday, December 12 at 11:00 a.m..
·
There are other events planned as
well. Watch the Our Redeemer calendar
and newsletter for information.
Regular Bible Studies and Sunday School
·
Adult Bible Study continues on Sunday
mornings at 9:00 a.m. The class FINISHED
studying “Basic Christian Teachings.” We are now be enjoying Bible Study’s
based on Garrison Keillor monologues, specifically for holiday issues. On Sunday, December 14, Keillor’s monologue
is entitled, “James Lundeen’s Christmas.” Come and join us!
· Sunday
School is held each Sunday beginning at 9:00 a.m.! This is a blessing for ALL children and
adults.
·
“Deeply Rooted Small Group” Is held at
Our Redeemer on the first and third Sunday evenings at 5:45 p.m.
·
Confirmation classes began on Sunday,
October 12, after worship services. Our
last class this Fall was on December 7. Confirmation
Classes resume in January. Watch for
more information.
Other Activities of Faith:
· MANY
CONTINUE TO READ THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES WITH ME IN 2024 and 2025 using
the “Today’s Light Devotional Bible.” On Tuesday, December 9, we read 3
John. We will soon have completed reading the Scriptures in a 2 year period!
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!
P.P.P.S. Family Fun
and Fishing!
·
We paid to have lights put on our 30’ blue
spruce tree in the front yard, last Wednesday.
THEN, the wind started last Saturday (or Friday night). Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/CsxUYMimMywTh2ZC8
·
I was scheduled to fish on Saturday, and
planning on Monday. But . . . THE
WIND! Here are a few wind pictures from
our yard. https://photos.app.goo.gl/hvomyfr5w3RBr5Gp7
·
Here are also a couple of news stories.
·
And, guess what, more wind is forecast this
week! ☹
*******
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
Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Chugiak, AK.)
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, Our Redeemer
Lutheran Church, Chugiak, AK
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)
