Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Greetings, dear ones, on a beautiful Fall morning.

No jog this morning. I expect I’ll be jogging a little later on…on a treadmill…in the office of a cardiologist…a stress test…recommended by my doctor…since I haven’t had one since before my bypass surgery in 1997. I doubt that it will be extremely revealing…but we’ll see.

One thing I am not…at least I don’t think I am…and do not choose to be…a slave…in a negative sense. Did you catch the word “slavery” in our reading for today? Verses 14 and 15 reaffirm the work of Christ that includes freeing believers who formerly were “all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” I’m quite happy and willing to embrace the fact that none of us are getting out of here alive. I could get to preachin’.

I really believe that in this little devotional composition we are again touching on a facet of the single most important governing principle of our entire life destinies. Bottom line: A HEART AFTER GOD (a heart that loves God passionately) CANNOT DRIFT AWAY FROM GOD!

The clock is pushing on me. Be blessed.

Love, Dad/Ray.

Many years ago (about 1975), while crossing the lagoon of the Arno Atoll in the Marshall Islands, we came onto a nice boat totally adrift—no one on board—far away from safety. It was fairly new with twin 70hp Johnson engines. Fortunately, there was sufficient fuel on board with the ignition key in place. I was able to go aboard, get it running, and we carried on to our destination with two boats. The owners were finally contacted via radio and found a way to rendezvous with us and take custody of their boat.

I never did understand all the details as to why that boat was adrift. But it was obvious that someone did not give proper attention to securing the craft to where they had wanted it to remain. It represented a huge investment and great value. Had we not been there to cover for their negligence, most likely it would have been destroyed or seriously damaged on some reef. Any boat person should understand that the factors of wind, waves, tide, and current will combine to make it virtually impossible for any boat to simply remain where it is left if it is not properly anchored or secured.

Your salvation also represents a huge investment of inestimable value. The simple fact is that if you do not give careful attention to anchoring your faith to make it “steadfast and unmovable” (1 Corinthians 15:58), it too will naturally drift. Besides the natural instability of the human heart, there are lots of winds, waves, and currents in this world to pull you around to where you shouldn’t be. It can be very damaging. It can be downright destructive.

May I suggest that your faith is not at risk when you are using it—loving God, prayer, study, worship, meditation, and sharing your faith with others. It’s at the end of a day’s run when you are inclined to relax that your faith is most at risk. You know—flip on the TV, pick up a piece of reading, listen to the chatter of the world, or just hang out—they’re all factors laden with potential influence to cause your faith to drift. The solution: “Pay more careful attention”—not just some of the time, but all of the time. This, to me, presents a strong case for the importance and practical need for DAILY PERSONAL DEVOTIONS. Is such an exercise part of your daily routine?

“For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape (or, avoid drifting away…with its consequences) if we ignore such a great salvation?” (Hebrews 2:2-3).