Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Moving and Traveling with My Lord!

 

Dear Fellow Children of God, 

 

My wife, Kathy, recently ran into a long time work-mate and friend. Kathy worked with this lady for MANY years at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center.  The lady’s son was also one of the best friends of our son, Josh.  Josh and he were often together through their years in school.  They also continued spending time with one another as they got married and as they raised families.  Kathy’s friend shared that her son really misses Josh.  Josh and his family moved from Palmer in July.  He is now principal at a large Elementary School south of Seattle.

 

Kathy shared her encounter with Josh who replied, “I miss my friends too; AND I miss my family. But the move was the right thing for my family.”  I will affirm Josh’s opinion.  We do really miss our son, our daughter-in-law, and our grandchildren.  But Josh is right. The move was the right thing, a good thing for his family.

 

When we learned this spring and summer of the coming relocation of our son and his family, of their move away from where we live, we were all somewhat sad.  Their new location was not what we expected. However, I shared some family history with Kathy.  “How do you think my parents felt when you and I moved from Jacksonville, Florida, to Alaska in 1991?”  Kathy and I migrated from a location 85 miles from my parents’ home, to a place that is over 4,600 miles away.  My mother did tell us, somewhat angrily, “If you had become a missionary in Africa you would be closer to us than if you moved to Alaska!”  She was not happy.

 

I also shared with Kathy, “Guess what my dad did when he was the same age as I was when we moved to Alaska?  He moved his family 1200 miles south to Florida!”  I remember the sadness in my grandfather.  All 5 of his grandchildren were now living far away.  So, I guess that moving to a new location and home is now somewhat of a Rockey tradition. 

 

Do you know that many of our ‘fathers in the faith’ made large moves during their lifetimes?  Think of Abraham and his family.  Abraham moved from Ur of the Chaldeans (near present day Iraq), to Haran (what is part of present day Turkey), and then to Canaan (present day Israel). His grandson, Jacob, and family moved from Canaan to Egypt.  The Lord instructed the Israelites that, when they entered the Promised Land after the Exodus, “Then you shall declare before the LORD your God: "My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous.” (Deuteronomy 25:5)  When Moses’ wife gave birth to a child we are told, in the old King James Version, “And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a ‘stranger in a strange land.’”  (Exodus 2: 22)  It seems that moving from place to place may be a tradition for the people of God in Scripture also.

 

However, love and family are not destroyed by distance. Abraham and family did actually visit back and forth between Canaan and Haran.  Moses also traveled back to Egypt, and then led the Israelites to a new home in the Promised Land.  Likewise, since Kathy and I have moved to Alaska, we have continued to regularly travel back to Florida to spend time with family.  We also traveled in October and visited Josh and Erin and family in WA.  And, my experience is that most people who live in Alaska have family in another part of our country, and do visit from time to time, 

 

In the New Testament God shares part of the reason for all this movement.  We read more about Abraham, and other people of faith, in Hebrews 11.  “8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. . . . 13 All these people . . . admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.” (Hebrews 11:8-10, 13 b)  We are “aliens and strangers on earth”, because we are “looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” Like the old hymn says, “Heaven is my Home.”

 

We do have earthly homes in this life, yet only for a while.  We find places we love with the people we love.  That is what makes it hard to leave one location and travel to another.  I know.  I have traveled to new places numerous times, often leaving friends and family. 

 

But, truly, not only is heaven our home, for children of God our home is where our Lord is.  Do you know the verse from the introduction of the Gospel of John?  “14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)  Jesus is God who became a man and dwelt with us as the Savior of the world.  Jesus is God who lives in us.  (Galatians 2:20) When God is with us, giving His forgiveness and life through Jesus, well . . . anywhere can be home.  Anywhere is home when Christ is there.  Let me repeat that: Anywhere is home when Christ is there.

 

We may long for a home, for a place where everyone stays around and loves one another.  However, not only does life change, but sin brings death.  Homes and families do change.  That is another reason the forgiveness and life which Jesus gives are so important.  That is also why it helps us to know that we look “forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” Someday we WILL all be together, in the presence of our Lord, our Creator, our Savior.

 

How many places have you lived?  Do you miss former times and places?  Do you look forward with faith and hope “to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God?” 

 

A Child of God, Moving and Traveling with My Lord!

Pastor Rockey

 

P.S.  I am now serving Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Chugiak, AK, as part-time Vacancy Pastor. 

 

  • The Our Redeemer Call Committee includes Elder and chairman, Jerry Simpson, also Heidi Enlow, Ruth Keller, Theo Lee, Jacob Lewis, Scott Roelfs, and Martha Wilkins.  They have met numerous times. 

The first step in the call process has been to complete a congregational self-study.  The Northwest District has shared the study and tools to help in this study.  The committee has asked for and received input from ORLC for this study.  Jacob Lewis has compiled these survey to turn in to District.  Nomination forms for names for a new pastor have also been distributed.  We have about 8 names.

The self-study, and nominations for pastor, were indeed sent to the Northwest District by October 1, 2025. 

The last meeting was Friday evening, October 24.  The committee discussed questions to ask candidates when the congregation receives names from the Northwest District.

We are now waiting for the Northwest District to return names for possible future pastors for Our Redeemer.  We HOPE to receive our list by the end of November.

 

OTHER EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES AT OUR REDEEMER:

 

  • There are two opportunities a week for exercise and wellness. 
    • Matt Keith leads Chayon Ryu Martial Arts Class on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:30 a.m. in the Our Redeemer Fellowship Hall

 

    • 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.  In December this takes place at Bobby’s Café..

 

  • Youth Group meets after worship on one Sunday each month.  On November 30 Youth Group will be a cooking class.

 

  • 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 will now be enjoying Bible Study’s based on Garrison Keillor monologues, specifically for holiday issues.   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.  We have 2 more classes left this Fall, November 23 and December 7.  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 Wednesday, November 19, we read James 2.  

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! 

 

 

  • Pastor Tony Schultz and I went golfing, “winter in Alaska style”, on Friday, November 14.  We are a team in a league. We shot 1 under par. Here is Tony hitting a shot. https://photos.app.goo.gl/h76P3CuGHxPe8afp7

 

 

  • I DID go fishing twice

 

 

 

 

*******

 

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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