Dear Fellow Children of God,
This week, Friday, February 14, is Valentine’s Day, which
we celebrate as a day of ‘love.’
Valentine’s Day is named after a Christian leader and pastor from the 3rd
century who ministered to persecuted Christians, and who was martyred. St. Valentine was buried in Rome on February
14. But, if you read my devotions last
week, you might be asking yourself, “He’s not going to write about love again,
is he? That’s what he wrote about last
week!!
Last week I did write about God’s call to love, and His
love as the power to love others, based on the Epistle Lesson for the previous
Sunday. That epistle was 1 Corinthians
13, which is also called ‘the love chapter.
However, after sending last week’s devotion I had a response from one of
those who faithfully read my e-mails.
Please read and consider the message I was sent.
“The
Surgeon General’s “Triad of Fulfillment”
“In his final prescription for
America, Dr. Vivek Murthy delivers a profound truth: well-being is relational, not just
personal. Backed
by decades of research, Murthy outlines what he calls the Triad of
Fulfillment—relationships, purpose, and service. Connection, he argues, is as
vital to our health and longevity as diet, exercise, and sleep.
At the heart of the triad is love—not
the fleeting sentimentality often associated with the word, but a commanding
force with the power to build, strengthen, and heal. It’s the thread
that weaves together communities capable of nurturing fulfillment and belonging.
Love, extended not only to family and friends but also to colleagues,
strangers, and even adversaries, is the foundation of the triad.
The Triad of Fulfillment
1. Relationships: With whom can I connect more
deeply?
2. Service: What can I do to help others?
3. Purpose: What gives my life meaning?
When combined with the core virtues of
love, kindness, grace, hope, generosity, and courage, these three elements
create an ecosystem for meaning and belonging.”
I read this quotation sent to me by my friend and I was
moved by these thoughts. What struck me
is that, if relationships lead to fulfillment, and if love holds our relationships
together, think how important JESUS is to our lives. Jesus is the source of love. Therefore, Jesus is also the source of
fulfillment in our lives. Therefore,
Jesus is the center of our lives!
For example, John 3:16 teaches, "For God so loved
the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not
perish but have eternal life.” Jesus
is the source of love for the world, and for us!
One of the verses I shared last week is John 13:34, where
Jesus teaches, “love one another: just as I have loved you.” We love
others as Jesus loved us. Yes, Jesus
is the source of love!
Another verse of God’s word which I shared last week,
speaks the truth of love in a way that amazes me. “In this is love, not that we have loved
God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
(1 John 4:10) True love begins with
the sacrifice of our Lord for us. Love begins
with Jesus. Jesus is the source of love. Therefore, Jesus is the one who holds our
lives together.
Some might feel like such thinking is simply religious
nonsense. Karl Marx suggested that
“Religion is the opiate of the masses.”
Many people in our world do not want God in their lives. Many don’t want anyone who might ‘interfere’ with
how they want to live. They don’t want
Jesus as center.
But, the interference of Jesus is that He died on the
cross. The interference of Jesus is that
He forgives our sins which separate us from our Creator and our Heavenly
Father. The interference of Jesus is
that he saves us from death and judgment for everlasting life in heaven. That kind of interference from Jesus brings love,
and fulfillment, and meaning to our lives.
Personally, I do want Jesus to interfere in my life with His eternal, sacrificial,
saving love.
Friday is Valentine’s Day, a day to celebrate love. What does it mean to you that our love begins
with and comes from Jesus? What does
Jesus’ love mean as you seek to show love to another? For me, when I know what Jesus has done for
me, His love helps me to love others, not just in words but in actions. He taught, “love one another: just as I
have loved you.”
A Child of God, Finding Love, and Meaning, and Life in
Jesus,
Pastor Rockey
P.S. I have been serving
as vacancy pastor at First Lutheran Church in Gainesville, Florida, until First
Lutheran receives a permanent full-time pastor.
This Sunday, February 16, Pastor Chris Kollman has will be
installed to serve First Lutheran as full-time pastor, during an
Installation Service at 4:00 p.m. A meal will follow.
Pastor Kollmann’s first Sunday
to lead worship at First Lutheran is February 23.
·
OFFERING DURING THE INSTALLATION SERVICE
– There is a shortage of pastor in the Lutheran Church, in most churches. But, First Lutheran has two young men who
attended worship here already in seminary.
There are also 3 other young men, Jonathan Albertin, Patrick Bier, and
Will Starr, who are planning to go to seminary and study to be pastors in the
Lutheran Church. They will be traveling
to St. Louis in April to attend a ‘Vocatio Retreat’ to learn about studying to
be a pastor.
THEREFORE,
during the Installation Service on Sunday, February 16, we will take an
offering to help these 3 young men in the trip.
·
SUNDAY SCHOOL IS IN FULL SWING until
May. Children begin in worship at 10:00 a.m.. Early in the service, after
the Children’s Message, children leave for a lesson, for a craft, and a
snack.
Parents,
Grandparents, Uncles and Aunts, Neighbors, PLEASE bring your children to
Sunday School.
Also, as our
Sunday School grows, we need 4 more teachers, so students can be separated by
ages in classes. PLEASE SIGN UP ON
THE TABLE IN THE BACK OF THE CHURCH.
THANK YOU
Sunday School Teachers and staff!
·
COLLEGE STUDENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS meet on
Tuesday nights in the student house at 7:00 p.m. We are studying “The
Case for Christianity” and discussing defending our Christian faith. Come and join us!
ALSO,
there will be College Lunch for students in the Fellowship Hall after worship
beginning on February 9.
·
STEPHEN MINISTRY – First Lutheran is
re-activating the Stephen Ministry program at First Lutheran. Angie Burr, Jean Halabrin, and Dana Lucas
will start leadership training, hopefully on February 10. In addition, those who are committed to
training as supervised Christian Care Givers include: Julie Dicks, Tina Gorske,
Patti Holloway, Debbie Jones, Marge Polkowski, Kathy Rockey, Stephanie Smith, and
Jon Visscher. Stay tuned for more
information as the training process progresses.
Please pray for this caring ministry at First Lutheran.
·
WE CONTINUE TO READ THROUGH THE SCRIPTURE IN
2024 and 2025 using the “Today’s Light Devotional Bible.” On Wednesday,
February 12, we read through Jeremiah 22.
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!
·
We will begin A New Member Class at First
Lutheran on Sunday, March 2. Three people
have indicated a desire to attend, but others can join us, if for no other
reason to refresh your / their faith.
Class will be
held on Sunday mornings at the same time as the Adult Sunday School Class, from
8:45-9:45, in one of the church offices.
Pastor Chris will teach the class on The Pastoral Epistles, and Pastor
Rockey will teach the new member class.
P.P.S. Family Fun:
·
On
Monday, February 10, Kathy and I were able to meet with long time Alaska
friends, Herman and Linda Griese. We met at Lake Weir. Herman and I went fishing, and Kathy and
Linda prepared a picnic lunch. It was
great to get together. Here is a picture. https://photos.app.goo.gl/x7mc1V22mpKzRoJN9
·
Since my
last devotion, I have been fishing 3 times.
o On Friday, February 7, after golfing in the
morning, I went fishing at Orange Lake.
Here are a few pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/1W6AB7bRWa7A9omN7
o On Saturday, February 8, I went fishing at
Lake Weir to prepare for fishing with Herman on Monday. Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZcHrCbWJ3S85iDNp9
o On
Monday, February 10, Alaska friend, Herman Griese, and I went fishing on Lake
Weir. Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZcHrCbWJ3S85iDNp9
·
I have
also been golfing, but not doing so well.
☹
*******
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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