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 Nov 11
Good morning, special people.
I need to hurry. We’re supposed to be at the job site by about 9am. At least it’s not far. It’s close enough that I haven’t even hauled my skid steer over there…but just drive it down on the shoulder.
Blessings on your day.
Love, Dad/Ray
9 November 2011
Job 19
Focus: “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.” Job 19:25-26.
Picking up on this routine challenge to process Scripture portions with an aim to compose some kind of daily devotional message seems to have elevated my focus and concentration as I read. It has been such a long time since I’ve read this volume of Job, and my forgetter works so well, this time around is almost like reading it for the first time. So as I read and felt the internal pain and cry of Job’s heart that flowed out of his incredible suffering along with the brilliance of his intelligent reasoning, I was not prepared for his paragraph of spectacular faith and testimony contained in verses 23 through 27. Job’s longing for redemption from the bottom of his soul—for relationship with his Maker—along with his unexpected confidence that this will precisely be his ultimate outcome—it all took my own emotions by surprise. I confess that at 4:14am I cried with Job. And I worshipped the One Who inspired that quality of faith amidst that quality of suffering.
Just to make sure it doesn’t get by us, please allow me to cite that passage. Of course it is good as a stand-alone one, but its impact is most profound when taken in context with what he says prior. I don’t know—you may need some Kleenex too.
"Oh, that my words were recorded,
that they were written on a scroll,
that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead,
or engraved in rock forever!
I know that my Redeemer lives,
and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.
And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet in my flesh I will see God;
I myself will see him
with my own eyes — I, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!”
OK—Job has lost his children, his wealth, and his health. But those losses are small compared to the pain he expresses through the main body of this chapter. In short it’s REJECTION. Between verses 7 through 12, Job feels rejection by God. Between verses 13 and 22 Job describes the pain of rejection by friends and loved ones. When he says, “My breath is offensive to my wife” (v. 17), I don’t think it necessarily means that she keeps wanting him to gargle, it could very well mean that she’s irritated that he’s even breathing. Supreme pain of all pains is expressed in the words—“Those I love have turned against me” (v. 19).
Amidst all this pain, Job makes a plea for compassion. “Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me” (v. 21). That should capture our attention, because it calls for an examination of the quality and performance of our own faith as it is represented to those with whom we relate. Although Job’s friends had a perspective of cause and effect that was off base, they weren’t necessarily bad people. They also possessed a personal faith. But their faith was not imparted with compassion. So when you or I speak and demonstrate our faith, how is it translated and perceived by the recipients? Here’s my bottom-line question: DOES YOU FAITH FUNCTION BEFORE OTHERS LIKE A HAMMER—OR LIKE A REFRESHING CUP OF COMPASSION? It’s worth remembering that the Gospel is not condemnation (John 3:17), it’s an invitation. And we should be doing everything we can to enhance that invitation.
Along this same line, let me also recommend that you be careful not to measure your answer to that big question by those around you with whom you fellowship—those who think and act exactly like you. Since “birds of a feather flock together,” don’t overlook the possibility that you could be in the company of a bunch of hard heads (hard hearts).
“Faith, like light, should always be simple and unbending; while love, like warmth, should beam forth on every side and bend to every necessity of our brethren.” - Martin Luther