Dear
Fellow Children of God,
In
the fall of 1979, I was a young pastor, just installed to serve the people of
St. Paul Lutheran Church on the near north side of St. Louis, MO. I had gotten to know the small group of
people who were members of this part of God’s family. Among those members were Harold and Wilma
Knedel, rock-solid believers in their 50’s and weekly attenders in
worship. Wilma became ill, and needed
open heart surgery. The doctors expected
the operation to go well, and also for Wilma to make a full recovery. But she
never made it out of the operating room.
Harold called me, and then came to our home at the church parsonage. He was devastated! I listened and prayed with Harold. He left our home broken-hearted. Later I told Kathy that I was somewhat
surprised at the depth of his grief.
Part of my reasoning was that, at that time, Kathy and I had been
married for 2 years. However, Harold and
Wilma has been married for over 35 years!
That seemed like a long time to me.
That just goes to show the foolishness of youth in a 26 year old
man. CFW Walther, an important early
leader in our denomination, once wrote that God gives wisdom, “by the Holy
Spirit, through the school of experience.”
I lacked that wisdom.
I
learned more the next spring when my father-in-law, Jim Tobin, died from
lingering heart problems in April of 1980.
Jim was only 54! This was someone
much closer to me. I watched as my wife
grieved the loss of her beloved dad, and as my mother-in-law, Alice Tobin,
dealt with the reality that her husband of 28+ years was gone. It seemed to me that she was missing part of
herself, which in fact, she was.
I
learned more wisdom as my own parents passed on. I was present as my mom died in the hospital
in January of 2011. My dad and mom had
been married for over 58 years. In many
ways my dad deeply grieved the loss of my mom. He missed her terribly until the
day of his own death. I was beside my
dad’s bed when he passed on August 25, 2018.
Later that afternoon his 5 children and other family visited the funeral
home to make arrangements. As we shared
about my dad with those from the funeral home, one of those present was the
lady who worked at the cemetery. We told
them, “He visited our mom’s grave almost every day.” The lady from the cemetery asked, “Did he
drive a brown Toyota?” We replied,
“Yes.” She then responded. “No! He was not there almost every
day. Your dad visited your mom’s grave
EVERY DAY, and sometimes more than once a day.” My dad and mom had ‘become one’
through marriage!
I
hope I am growing in wisdom. At age 72,
I now understand somewhat better about the bond of marriage. Jesus quotes the words from the creation
account in Genesis 2:24 and explains them to His disciples in Matthew 19. “'Therefore a man shall leave his father
and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'
(Matthew. 19:5) When two people are married God binds those two people into
one. When one spouse inevitably dies, we
have lost part of ourselves. Often, it
may seem we lost the most important part of ourselves. My dad felt that way.
I
share all this, as I write my weekly devotion on August 20, 2025, because Kathy
and I were married on this day 48 years ago in Memphis, TN. What I have learned through the experience of
48 years is that marriage is a gift from God.
But, my REAL gift is Kathy! She is a woman of faith who has stood beside
me in spite of myself, who has loved and taught our children and grandchildren,
and been a servant to God’s people in the churches I have served. I do not deserve the love Kathy gives me. But, she IS the best part of me.
Believe
it or not, all these thoughts about marriage teach us about Jesus. Paul seems to speak about wives and husbands
in Ephesians 5:22-33, but then he explains a deeper truth. “31’Therefore a man shall leave
his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one
flesh.’ 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers
to Christ and the church.” (Ephesian
5:31-32) Perhaps you too have seen or experienced the passion, the depth, of
the love between a husband and wife. God
tells us that Jesus loves his bride, the church, with such depth and
passion. In fact, God’s love is perfect,
and greater than ours. That is why Paul
tells husbands, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and
gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25)
The Church, believers in Jesus, are the ‘bride of Christ.’ Jesus loves His children to the point of
giving up His life for them, for us.
On
Saturday evening, August 16, Kathy and I had the privilege of joining the
celebration of Rick and Cathy Baldwin-Johnson’s 50th wedding
anniversary. We have friends from our
youth who have now been married 50 years.
Kathy and I have only made 48 years at this point. But the love of those 48 years grows deeper
and deeper.
And
the love Kathy and I have for one another teaches me about the love our Savior,
Jesus, has for us. God is SO good!
A
Child of God, Thankful for God’s Gift of Marriage, For the Gift of MY WIFE!
Pastor
Rockey
P.S. Here are some old and new pictures of Kathy
and me.
- These pictures are from our
wedding day, August 20, 1977 - https://photos.app.goo.gl/azELThfxXQHtqPfD7
- Here are some picture of Kathy
and me from the last year of so. https://photos.app.goo.gl/jET9zcLLyqMe4A8e9
P.P.S. I am now serving Our Redeemer Lutheran in
Chugiak, AK, as part-time Vacancy Pastor.
- The Youth who attended the
LCMS YOUTH GATHERING in New Orleans made a presentation on Sunday,
August 17.
- The Our Redeemer Call
Committee has been formed. It
includes Elder and chairman, Jerry Simpson, also Heidi Enlow, Ruth Keller,
Theo Lee, Jacob Lewis, Scott Roelfs, and Martha Wilkins. They met on June 4, July 1, July 22, and
August 19. The first step in the
call process will be to complete a congregational self-study. The Northwest District has the study and
tools to help in this study. The
committee has asked for input for the self-study from ORLC leaders, and
WILL ask input from members in coming weeks. The goal is to turn in the self study,
and nominations for pastor, to the Northwest District by October 1.
Regular
Bible Studies and Sunday School
- Adult Bible Study continues on
Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m. The
class is studying “Basic Christian Teachings.” On August 3 we studied
about the Lord’s Supper. On August
17 we concluded the study on Lutheran worship practices. On August 24 we
will to study the 10 commandments.
Come and join us!
- Summer Sunday School - Children
have an opportunity to study during the summer as well. Leah Rawlins is leading the children in
studying the book of Ruth. At the
end of this study they may put what they learned into expression through
legos. All Children are WELCOME! 😊 (However, there is no Sunday School
on August 31 (Labor Day Weekend!)
- On Sunday, August 24, we will
offer an acolyte class after worship.
Other
Activities of Faith:
- MANY CONTINUE TO READ THROUGH
THE SCRIPTURE WITH ME IN 2024 and 2025 using the “Today’s Light
Devotional Bible.” We are now in the New Testament! On Tuesday, August 12, we finished
the book of Acts. On Wednesday,
August 20, we began the book of Romans.
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
and Fishing! -
- On Monday, August 18, I took
Dave Nufer, daughter Kaycee and her husband, Gavin Hanson, fishing on the
Little Susitna River. We kept 2 silver salmon. Unfortunately, the river closed to
silver salmon the next day! Here
are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/jcddcW2Rm4BDJhwR7
*******
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)
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