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.
| Sparre Home Page | Daily Reading Guide | 2011 Devotion Archives | 2010 Devotion Archives |
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7 May 11
Greetings, dear special people.
The darkness of night is past. The day is upon us. So what else is new? TODAY!
I’m not sure how TODAY will unfold. I know I have a lot on my list…and that tonight we are supposed to be joining in a fund raiser dinner for TEEN CHALLENGE…founded by David Wilkerson who went to heaven only days ago.
If things don’t go your way…you know what to do. OK?
Love and prayers, Dad/Ray
7 May 2011
Psalm 6
Focus: “My soul is in anguish. How long, O LORD, how long?” Psalm 6:3.
I’m remembering a quote from Mark Twain: “Life is just one damn thing after another.” While my mother taught me to not talk like that, and while I do not embrace all of Twain’s worldview, I think he’s really not that far off. My Bible-oriented understanding is that SIN (the psycho-spiritual fall of man) has transformed paradise into a rather hostile environment, making success and fulfillment in life something much less than easy. Eliphaz the Temanite (That’s an interesting name and title. He was apparently from Teman. I suppose that if I was from Paris I could be called RAYMOND THE PARISITE.) could have compatible dialogue with Mark Twain. He declared that “Man is born to trouble as sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7).
As indicated by the Psalm before us, David is facing some tough sledding. (That’s a descriptive cliché. Imagine pushing or pulling a sled on dry pavement!) Things were not going his way. Feelings of melancholy were hammering his mind and affecting a mood swing. So—what does he do? What do YOU do?
Reflecting on Mark Twain is also causing me to be reminded of a movie I once watched that featured him—“MARK TWAIN AND ME.” At various points in that script Twain would get very upset over something and command his aide, “Please leave now, and shut the door, so I can swear!” As you well know, that is a very natural and typical escape valve and coping mechanism of humans all around us when dismal circumstances mount and anguish results. I have another related memory stored from somewhere in my past—a quip that says “PROFANITY IS THE ATTEMPT OF A FEEBLE MIND TO EXPRESS ITSELF.” I’m sure Mark Twain would not appreciate me quoting that proverb about then. I’m also pretty sure that, although a tirade of cursing may offer a little bit of emotional release, it never really changes anything for the better.
I will still choose David as a role model over Mark Twain any day. While David was certainly not exempt from melancholy and trouble, he didn’t just close the door and vent his emotions with stupid profanities. Instead he closed the door and CRIED ALOUD TO THE LORD (Psalm 3:4). Why? Because he had A HEART AFTER GOD. Do you?
“Swearing is a lazy man’s way of trying to be emphatic.”