Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, special ones.

We have our hands full. This is the weekend to have the two little boys…parenting time with Thano. But Thano works every day of the weekend. So it’s largely grandparenting time.

On behalf of Thano, I made a run to Salem late yesterday afternoon to connect with a guy who has expedited the shipping and purchase of a special firewood splitter machine. It will call for some creative setup to make it functional. I’m quite sure Thano will be teasing me to help him with that today. Besides that, I’m scheduled to visit the property of some customers to visualize where we intend to set up a couple sheds. A guy is coming for whom I’ll probably do some milling. Plus, I’d like to harvest and process more apples from our tree before they go over the hill.

The will of man in relation to the will of God will always be a tough egg to perfectly crack this side of glory. As you ponder today’s reading, I think you have to admit that Jesus, without saying anything untrue, was speaking in ways He knew would rile his hearers…like He was trying to get Himself killed. Hmm. How else could the prophecies of “the suffering Messiah” be fulfilled?! What are your thoughts?

Max is at my feet with his little high-frequency whine, telling me that it’s time to go for a jog. Becki won’t be able to go as she’s grandma bound.

Have a blessed day. We’re one day closer home. Bank on it!

Love, Dad/Ray.

The cat is now clearly out of the bag. There is no more room for guessing or wondering about what exactly this Jesus is claiming. Without innuendo or abstraction, Jesus lays it clearly on the table—stating in no uncertain terms that He is not only FROM GOD but ONE WITH GOD—HE IS GOD. “Before Abraham was, I AM.” Wow!

You have to admit that if you were there with your heart and mind set on the traditional view of a great sensational conquering Messiah, you too would have expected to see a good deal more class and charisma—you too would most likely be picking up stones—big ones! Here Jesus was, a normal-looking man with no high profile credentials. The group thought they knew all they needed to know about his family and origins. Some even put forth the slam that He was a “Samaritan”—not a very respectable status in the view of full-blooded Jews. Not only that, they added that He was “demon-possessed!”

Try viewing this “little” situation from the window of the “big picture” and you will recognize that there is nothing very unusual about this case, insofar as God’s dealings with men are concerned. It’s apparent to me that God has always chosen to work in ways outside the box of man’s expectations and bias. The truths of God are not normally broadcast with intense noise and flashing lights. They are not usually dramatic, and definitely NOT dependent upon religious tradition. Nor are they grasped through the medium of careful catechism and intellectual skill. They are, however, imparted by the Spirit of God to A HEART AFTER GOD. (Have I ever used that phrase before?) “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him” (1 Corinthians 1:27-29).

The guy who is always boasting, spouting his dogma, yelling his bias, shouting his oppositions, arguing, complaining, criticizing, and defending, is most likely going to distance himself so far from the truth that he will never ever hear the “still small voice” of the Spirit of God. Imparting that important lesson to Elijah when he was so bummed and discouraged, God chose to use some sensational dramatics. “The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.’ Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper” (“still small voice”—1 Kings 19:11-12). Selah.

Please sing with me…