2007 picture of Ray Sparre

Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67


January 29, 2013

Good morning, special ones.

Oh my…it’s late…it’s Tuesday…and I forgot to put the garbage can by the road. I’ll do it as soon as I send this.

No jog this morning. It’s raining…and late. And one reason I’m late is because I went to bed unusually late last night…like 11:30pm. And the reason bedtime was late is because I went night skiing for a few hours along with Charlie Hill.

The little boys are here again. That fact always affects the track of a day. I just pray that we can offer some positive influence so as to affect the track of their lives. Lord, help us. Kaden just came in the studio. He’s helping me by sweeping the floor.

Blessings on your day. Love, Dad/Ray.

29 January
Passage: Exodus 35-37
Focus: “…and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved him came and brought an offering to the LORD for the work on the Tent of Meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments.” Exodus 35:21.

At this point in the story, the Israelites are united and invigorated with a common HOLY PURPOSE. Like the various instruments and sections of an orchestra, all their work and activities were combining to form a beautiful symphony of worship TO THE LORD. The metal workers, the jewelers, the perfumers, the carpenters, the weavers—they were all expressions of the same kind—willing Spirit-inspired worship offerings TO THE LORD. Notice that even the Sabbath observance was in this vein—a “rest to the LORD” (35:2).

To be sure, PURPOSE is one of the most lacking ingredients within our modern secular culture—a culture largely driven by man’s God-opposing SIN nature. Sorting through all the rhetoric that this culture has to offer, one cannot avoid the final statement—THE GREAT PURPOSE OF LIFE IS PURPOSELESSNESS. Yippee! What a wonderful cause to live and die for!

Please stay far away from that sink hole! Instead, we will do ourselves (and everyone around us) great service by becoming as fanatical (passionate) as reasonably possible in embracing the Biblical view on PURPOSE—“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23-25). Think of it—everything we do in life can be enhanced and invigorated by this HOLY PURPOSE.

Warning: DON’T MESS AROUND WITH GOD’S JEALOUSY.


“True happiness…is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.” ~ Helen Keller