Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

---

March 31, 2010
            Good morning, fine folk.
            In the dull morning light, I see our creek roaring like a serious river—evidence of all the rain they’ve had here of late.  And it’s only just above freezing.  I found another plastic bottle that I cut and fit onto the end of Daisy’s cast to serve as a boot.  She wore out the other one I made.  I think I’ll allow her to come along with me on my jog…and see how she does as a peg-leg dog.  I can assure you that some drivers-by are going to be amused.
            After that…I’m kind of overwhelmed.  In the subject line above I called it a “catch up day.”  Fat chance.  I’m so far behind there ain’t no way I can catch up.  All I can do is tend to a limited number of urgencies.  The strange fact is, however, I still sense God’s blessing.  Go figure.
            And may you too be blessed today.
                        Love and prayers, Dad/Ray

---

31 March 2010
Passage: Acts 28:17-31
Focus: “For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.”  Acts 28:27.

            Let me raise this question: Why would anyone reject Paul’s Gospel message?  He spoke from a great knowledge of the Old Testament scriptures.  He spoke clearly with sound logic and intelligence.  He spoke eloquently and skillfully.  He spoke with conviction and the testimony of a transformed life.  He spoke with a genuine motive of love and care for others.  And he spoke with the anointing of the Holy Spirit.  It seems like he had all the positive features one could ask for as a communicator of divine TRUTH.  But still many rejected. Why?  I think the basic answer is wrapped up in the quotation Paul uses from the prophet Isaiah (Is. 6:9-10).  They had bad calluses of heart and mind.
            There is a place, however, for good calluses.  Calloused hands are good when it results from good hard work.  It causes the hands to be toughened against blisters and abrasions.  Calloused feet can be good too.  (I’ve had occasion to envy tough feet over the years as when walking across coral reefs with my local island spearfishing companions—watching them crash right over the stuff barefoot, while I get scratched up with my sandals).  Calloused feet can go places and do things I can’t without shoes.  Even a calloused heart is good if it serves as a toughened resistance to sin, deception, and evil.  But a calloused heart against the good things of God is absolutely bad.  Many, if not most, of the Jews were of calloused hearts in their rejection of even the possibility that Jesus was their promised Messiah.  So what else is new?  Calloused hearts prevent men from receiving Christ today.
            You’ve heard the quip, “You can’t mold dry clay.”  So let’s make sure we remain soft and moldable in the hands of the Master Potter—moistened by the water of His Word.  Let us not become dry, resistant, or calloused to His dealings.  And be reminded that it was essentially calloused hearts that caused Moses to be maligned, Joseph to be jeered, David to be denounced, Stephen to be stoned, Paul to be persecuted, and Christ to be crucified.