Insightful Musings on the Scripturesby
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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25 Feb 11
Good morning, special ones.
It’s presently 7:10am. If I didn’t have such a sore back I’d go for a jog. Instead I’ll go sing in the shower.
May your day contain a good song.
Love, Dad/Ray
25 February 2011
Proverbs 25
Focus: “Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar poured on soda, is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.” Proverbs 25:20.
Let’s try something—I’ve got my guitar here—I’m going to sing one of my favorite scripture choruses (learned way back in college days—about a hundred years ago)—Psalm 34:1-4, KJV. On your mark—get set—listen! (Of course, you can sing too if you want.) “I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the LORD and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”
OK. Chances are that you have a HEAVY HEART about something. That’s life. So how does that song make you feel? Are you offended? Are you encouraged? Do you want to say, “Shut up!” Or would you like to sing another? Your responses are very significant.
I’m inclined to believe that the proverb I’ve selected from this chapter primarily describes natural responses of a natural heart that tends to be heavily influenced and controlled by circumstances and personal feelings. That causes one’s internal weather to spiral down and be very unstable. And it causes one to be very selective of songs—choosing only those that support those unstable feelings. A good example comes to mind from a mournful country western song I heard long ago. It pictures a guy with a very heavy bummed-out heart who says to the bar’s musician, “Hey, won’t you play another ‘some-body-done-somebody-wrong song,’ and make me feel at home, while I miss my baby—while I miss my baby.”
Be reminded that Christian victory is NOT NATURAL! There is no way you can be consistently happy with the joy of the LORD on this natural basis. Those qualities are not accidental or coincidental. They are the product of deliberate choices. In fact, good songs (and songwriting) are good heart-level management and therapy. Look who’s originally composing and singing in Psalm 34. David! He’s a guy who clearly learned while young a principle of life that I’m still trying to learn while old!
Let me share a song that I’ve sung a good deal to myself lately—at least the first verse and chorus. “Far away in the depths of my spirit tonight Rolls a melody sweeter than psalm; In celestial-like strains it unceasingly falls O’er my soul like an infinite calm. Peace! Peace! Wonderful peace, Coming down from the Father above; Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray, In fathomless billows of love.”
I confess that usually that peace is so far away in the depths of my spirit that I can hardly find it! But perseverance does.
“A song will outlive all sermons in the memory.” - Henry Giles