Sharing My Lord Along the Riverbank

Those who live in Southcentral Alaska know what time of year this is; it is red salmon season! The salmon conclude their life cycle in the Pacific Ocean and return to the rivers to spawn. As the millions of salmon return, 1.3 million so far this year in just the Kenai River, so do the fishermen and the tourists. For the last 3 years, even though the fish returned, the people did not arrive in traditionally large numbers. But, now that COVID is seemingly behind us, the cities of Kenai and Soldotna are as crowded as I have ever seen them. Of course, the people do not just stay in the cities, but find their way to the rivers as well.

I have had interesting conversations along the banks of the Kenai River over the years, and this year was no different. For example, on Thursday, July 27, I was joined in fishing by two couples. The sisters, about the age of my daughter Mary, were from Alaska, originally at least. The guys with them, a husband and a boyfriend, were sportsmen. At first they did not know I was a pastor. But, as we fished and talked they asked what I had done and I told them I was a Lutheran pastor. One man, who is from Boise, ID, talked about his “walk with the Lord.” This young man asked me what I had learned in my years as pastor. I shared with him that I have learned that “evil and sin are real and dangerous, but that God’s love is stronger and changes lives for good.” I shared more, but then he told me about a book he had been reading by a Christian writer. The young man told me he thought that America had lost ‘the fear of the Lord.’ I listened, and agreed that we are to “love the Lord [our] God with all [our] heart and with all [our] soul and with all [our] mind and with all [our] strength.” (Mark 12:30) Proper priorities are essential for healthy lives. As they left with their fish, they wished me well, and hooted as I got a red salmon on the line.

On Sunday night, July 30, after a long day, I fished alongside 3 young men. One asked what I did. “Are you retired.” I said, “Yes.” “But what did you do?” he asked. I told him I was a Lutheran pastor. His response was, “I’m Lutheran. But, my fiancée is Catholic. She goes to church every Sunday.” So I asked, “How about you? Do you go to church?” His response, “Only on holidays.” He said that his job on the slope got in the way of going to church. I suggested he might benefit from regular worship. As they left in their boat, they too hooted at me as I had a fish on my line.

On Monday, after a morning of recovery from a long Sunday, I made it to the river. This was to be my last day fishing on the Kenai for a while. I interacted with a group of men from Oklahoma, out fishing with a guide. A father and son team fished beside and around me. Another dad was teaching his 3 sons how to fish. But, the folks who sort of stayed close to me were a couple almost my age. They shared that their names were Dan and Nina. Their dog and my dog enjoyed each other’s company. As we fished, and visited, we discovered we had fished together in previous years. As I was about to leave, needing to take my boat out of the water, clean my cabin, and drive 3 ½ hours north to Palmer, Nina wanted to talk. She took hold of my boat as I was pushing out into the water and indicated she wanted to visit. She had a Lutheran pastor in her family, but shared she was struggling because her congregation and denomination were experiencing turmoil. “I’m just trying to be a good member of my church,” she said. In regard to the turmoil she experienced I replied, “I’ve learned that God is smarter than I am. I need God’s Word as my guide. My instruction to confirmation classes was, ‘Find a church that teaches God’s Word, and that seeks to put God’s word into practice.’” I could tell that my response did not make her choices any easier.

A couple of weeks ago I read in my daily devotions the prayer which Solomon prayed as he dedicated the temple. He prayed to God. "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built!” (1 Ki. 8:27 ESV) No, God is not ‘contained’ by a temple, a church building, or structure. Yet, in grace, He does choose to meet His people in places of worship. Nevertheless, while regular Sabbath worship is important in our lives, we are to worship the Lord wherever we are, every day of the week. Our lives are to be worship and service to our Lord. St. Paul taught the Corinthian Christians, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

You see, worship strengthens God’s people so that as we go, we can do the work of the Lord, “19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matt. 28:19-1:1 ESV) And, wherever we go, to work or school or along the riverbank, the One who made us, the One who died for us and rose for us, is with us.

May God bless your worship so that you are strengthened for His work and worship wherever you go!