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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9 June 11
Good afternoon, folks.
Big busy day already. And there is more to come. Even at this late hour, I have permission to harvest some nearby trees that are standing dead…so I’ll probably commence some logging and work on into the evening. I have some sawmilling orders and need more logs. Care to join me?
Have a good evening. Blessings. Love, Dad/Ray
9 June 2011
Psalm 38
Focus: “My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear.” Psalm 38:4.
GUILT is a good thing. In fact, I have to believe that GUILT is a God thing. However, as is the case with virtually all the gifts of God, GUILT can be misused and exploited. Like fire, or sex, or food, GUILT can be used for GOOD or for EVIL. It all depends on who is pulling the GUILT strings. God uses GUILT for GOOD—to lead us to Him, to forgiveness, and to freedom. Satan uses GUILT for EVIL—to drive us away from God, to bitterness, and to bondage. So don’t be duped by all that secular modern psychology stuff that says GUILT is bad and you need to eradicate all GUILT from your conscience. If you follow that line, you will risk eradicating God from your life along with your GUILT.
I’m pondering the implications of GUILT. Consider this: If we were, as some choose to believe, simply products of mindless matter, how can anyone intelligently explain the existence of GUILT? I mean, how could non-living thoughtless molecules, minerals, and chemicals ever be credited for inventing GUILT?! (…not to mention a lot of other living realities.) I sure wish someone could straighten out my head if it’s not functioning right, but sitting right here I have to conclude that any worldview system that begins with MINDLESSNESS to explain order and intelligence is, in my estimation, MINDLESS—like really STUPID!
We are not told what exactly is going on here with David. He’s talking and confessing as though he really blew it bad. He’s not just casually sorry—he’s tormented. We do know that David was not flawless. The record reveals some sad blunders. But there’s something indirectly encouraging about all that—there’s hope for you and me. And at least David is exemplary here by demonstrating where to go with his GUILT. Without ever hearing the words of the New Testament, he is actually practicing Peter’s inspired advice who said, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety (GUILT) on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7). I understand it this way: If I do not confess my GUILT of sin and gain forgiveness from the One that matters, I’m still packing it around. And that’s a terrible burdensome way to do life.
Question: Where would you and I be if it were not for GUILT? David said, “I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin” (v. 18). If I’m not troubled by my sin, I will likely keep it and continue it—kind of like, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” Proper GUILT functions like a warning light that God builds into the dashboard of the human psyche that says, “Something is broke!” Proper GUILT calls for proper response.
“Confess your sins to the Lord, and you will be forgiven; confess them to men, and you will be laughed at.” - Josh Billings