Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, dear ones.

My fingers are not yet accustomed to typing “February.” But they better learn. Like the rest of us, they need to learn to flow with the non-negotiable realities of life.

Beautiful weather outside this window. I’ll take that. It will be helpful while I finish up a sign install.

Maybe I’ll stick on here a little paragraph I deleted from my first draft of the devotional composition: “Can you imagine a group of animal rights activists emerging at this time in Israel’s history? How long do you suppose they would be allowed to exist? A good question to raise before such a group would be, “Who made all these animals?” (Consider also a group of sex activists (“women’s rights,” “gay rights,” etc.) who want to rebel against God’s established order. Isn’t it just as appropriate to ask, “Who made human sexuality?”)”

May your day be blessed.

Love, Dad/Ray.

I have to admit that my limited human reasoning faces some major difficulty coping with the volume of sacrificial ceremony required by the LORD. And the slaughter of so much innocent animal life to atone for the moral corruption (SIN and GUILT) of human life is overwhelming. But, like it or not, these are the terms set forth by a HOLY GOD for the repair of His relationship with mankind, now broken by SIN. The universal question for all of us comes down to this: Do I want relationship with God on my terms (which is clearly hopeless), or am I willing to comply with His terms (my only hope).

At the risk of monotony, I have to return to my over-arching thesis—that is, nothing is more important for me to nurture and possess than a HEART AFTER GOD. That essential condition causes everything to fit together and work basically right. Without it, nothing fits together and works right. It’s an attitude of heart and soul that affirms to God, “Because you are the Sovereign Maker/Designer of everything (including me), You have every right to set the rules. I choose to comply with the conviction that my living to please You (as opposed to me) is the core purpose for my very existence.” Amazingly, that attitude of heart actually plays out to please me too. Who would have known?

Today’s reading ends with a dramatic demonstration of God’s approval and man’s appropriate dramatic demonstration of a HEART AFTER GOD—“…they shouted for joy and fell face-down.” Lesson: Human arrogance cannot stand before God’s Sovereign Holiness. (Philippians 2:9-11)