Insightful Musings on the New Testamentby
Ray Sparre, NU class of '67
Ray has a wealth of experience as a Husband, Father, Pastor, Missionary, and student of the Word. He believes and practices his faith where the rubber meets the road. You'll find his writings to be practical, insightful, and grounded in a truly Christ-centered world view.
Below are links to a printable daily Bible reading guide which Ray has followed, and an archive of all his daily devotional writings for 2010 and 2011.
| Daily Reading Guide | 2011 Devotion Archives | 2010 Devotion Archives |
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10 Jan 11
Good morning, special people.
On Friday morning, I mentioned that I would be renting a lift to install a couple signs on a building in Molalla. I rented the machine, but it turned out to be a fiasco. The machine would not work right…nor was it capable of lifting me exactly to where I needed to be. Over $100 for nothing! But on Saturday I engaged some creative engineering and did the job by myself without a lift…and it worked well. Whew!
Our prayers and concerns have gone out to the Horn family in Missouri—Joe’s parents, Tom and Nita, lost their entire home to a fire. What a set-back!
I need to get out and get the sawmill ready to receive a guy coming with a bunch of big timbers to be resawn. Hope that goes well.
Well…I did it. The address recipient list is a good deal smaller as of today. I called you “special people” above. I guess you who receive this are more special than ever!
Have a blessed day.
Love, Dad/Ray
10 January 2011
Proverbs 10
Focus: “A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother.” Proverbs 10:1.
Let’s try to critique this idea and establish both what it means and what it doesn’t mean. Somewhere in my past education, I’ve been given a word that describes the kind of poetic style that is going on here—but I don’t remember what it is. I’ll just state my confidence that this statement by Solomon does not mean that a son who grows up to make wise choices causes only the father to be happy but not the mother—and the son who grows to rebel and make stupid choices makes only the mother grieved and not the father. More accurately it means that WISE CHILDREN MAKE HAPPY AND PROUD PARENTS, BUT FOOLISH KIDS BRING UNTOLD GRIEF TO PARENTS. I totally agree with this thesis. I have some experience here.
This is not to say, however, that it is never possible for it to be the other way around—where foolish parents bring shame and heartache to children. Perhaps the best point to make here is that no matter who you are, whether young or old, NONE OF US ARE EXEMPT FROM SEEKING WISDOM.
Additional meaning comes to me as I apply this principle of life to my relationship with the fatherhood of God. To be sure He is described in scripture as being delighted with His children who seek Him, honor Him, love Him, and obey Him. “The steps of a good man (a wise son) are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand” (Psalm 37:23-24, KJV).
Since we turned the lead statement of Proverbs 10:1 around above to expand its meaning, we can do so here in Psalm 37 as well. Take note of verse 4: “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” Don’t miss this point: IF YOU WILL CHOOSE TO PLEASE GOD (That’s wisdom.), HE WILL BE PLEASED WITH YOU. How can that general life course be improved upon?!
“Advice to fathers over fifty: Keep an open mind and a closed refrigerator.”