Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Greetings, dear people.

It’s kind of pretty out this window…if I look beyond my clutter and junk to the unfolding of Spring in this morning sunlight. It’s like I could sit here in the studio and watch the greenery develop on the tall cottonwood trees. And I’m noticing that our grass is growing like crazy. Just mentioning all that kind of frustrates me…as I would very much like to be able to give added diligence to making a good garden this year. And now is the time to begin. But I just don’t seem to have enough freedom to slice up my time pie so as to give that piece sufficient size. Time management…now there’s a topic that would be worth addressing.

Just now I’m noticing the return of the swallows…darting around, engaged in their aerial feeding. No doubt they will make another nest this year in the birdhouse we have for them. Yup…sure enough…I see them landing at the entrance of that little house, checking it out.

I better get on with it. Blessings on your day.

Love, Dad/Ray

I sense we are touching on a very important principle in the life of every true child of God. Please don’t let this get by you. It has to do with seeking a daily solitary place for the purpose of communing with the Father. That priority motivated Jesus to avoid the natural interference and distractions of daily living and rise before others. I have learned that this is not just a nice little idea—it is essential for me in order to maintain my focus on things important. And I am convinced that seeking FIRST the Kingdom of God and His righteousness is IMPORTANT above all else. (Questions: What part of FIRST do we typically not understand? Is it not reasonable to apply this FIRST to our daily time management?)

Life is full of circumstances that will prevent a retreat to an actual solitary place. In some cases, there may be none available. That’s when the earnest believer will do well to be creative toward securing the next best thing. However that private communion with the Father is achieved is not as important as that, by some means, it is achieved. The weight of Jesus’ example should be enough to motivate us to seek and maintain this priority. If He, the Son of God in flesh, sensed a need to be “shut in with God in a secret place,” how much more should we?