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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30 April 11
Hello, nice people.
It sure looks like it’s going to be another day. My list is huge…tempting me to feel like I’m going deeper into the debt of obligation than freer. But I’ll just keep doing what I can do and try not to worry too much about what I can’t. OK? Did you notice? I just gave myself some very good counsel. We’ll see how well I heed it.
May you be as intelligent as you reasonably can today…and blessed. I could be somewhat wrong…but I don’t think God is real eager to bless stupid.
Love, Dad/Ray
30 April 2011
Proverbs 30
Focus: “Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise.” Proverbs 30:24.
Animals are not so much INTELLIGENTLY WISE as they are INSTINCTIVELY WISE. And I’m convinced that only an infinitely WISE CREATOR could program these creatures with such amazing abilities of INSTINCTIVE WISDOM. I never cease to marvel at how animals are directed by instincts to migrate on a precise seasonal schedule, build nests in perfect design with those of their ancestors without going to school to learn how to do it, catch or gather their food in ways that require refined strategies that are completely unique to their species, and perpetuate their kind by means of amazing antics of mating and reproduction. I’m also convinced that some kind of spiritual short circuit is clearly in the works when humans take all this in without any internal promptings to seek and worship this obvious CREATOR! After all humans are the creatures specially gifted with GOD-LIKE OBJECTIVE INTELLIGENCE to observe, analyze, learn, and formulate views.
I’ll put before us the next four verses that feature four animals. “Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in summer; coneys are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags; locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks; a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in king’s palaces” (vv. 25-28).
To prove our point, you will never find an ant or a lizard reading a book on how to learn from the wisdom of humans, but here we are reading about these animals for the purpose of learning wisdom from them. So what points of wisdom do they represent? Perhaps I will list them with the corresponding implicit lessons they offer.
ANTS—PLANNING. The author describes them as preparing for the inevitable needs of the future. Are you?
CONEYS—PROTECTION. While these rabbit-like critters are not equipped with strong physical defense mechanisms, they seem to sense that fact and utilize that which is bigger and stronger than themselves (rocks) for their protection and security. Are you?
LOCUSTS—TOGETHERNESS. One little locust can’t do much—but multiplying little by several million and the result is much. Without objective intelligence, these creatures appear to understand their strength in unity. Do you?
LIZARDS—CREATIVITY. Walls and doors discourage most animals from accessing places they would like to go, but not so the lizards. The geckos were always hanging out on our walls and ceilings when we lived in the tropics. (Of course, I could go places others could not go too if I could walk on walls and ceilings!) They seem to be clever and creative in going places where they are determined to go. Are you?
“Reading furnishes our mind only with the materials of knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours.” - John Locke