Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Hello, dear ones.

I just had a nice one-hour nap. Whew! I needed that. Obviously, the morning was too full to allow getting this off before now. Nicholas and Thano are here in the studio at present. I agreed to go back to the house with Nick and make a smoothie. If you meet me there, you can have some too.

Blessings on your God-honoring personal government.

Love, Dad/Ray.

If we have ever been given a window into the heart and mind of David, we have it here in this reading. The FOCUS VERSE containing what David says following one of his military victories against the Philistines is particularly significant in this regard—showing his basic attitude of humble dependence upon his Lord. Lesser leaders would not have sought the Lord in the first place, and when victory was achieved, they would likely have gloated and boasted in themselves—“We sure broke out against them and mowed them down!” David would say, “God is our cause, and He used our military skills to mow them down and advance His cause.”

David had no problem mixing “church and state.” His HEART AFTER GOD saw no “wall of separation” between the realms of God-honoring faith and applied government. In his perspective, it was all one. He recognized that the only way to have a God-blessed nation was to have God-praising citizens. The high value he placed upon his own HEART AFTER GOD motivated him to share and promote its benefits and rewards. He encouraged others to seek the same level of personal passion. This is clearly expressed in the song of praise he composed surrounding his organizing the delivery of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. Let me cite the beginning stanza of that song. I only wish we could also hear the orchestra he ordered to accompany it. “Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always” (16:8-11).

The general viewpoint of our own floundering national government is light-years away from that of David. On second thought, maybe there is a subtle point of similarity between them—both in a particular sense view church and state as one—even though separation may be claimed. David would have collective worship of God as the basis for government—religion and state are one. In comparison, a prevailing mindset in high places of our government would have collective worship of the government as the basis for faith and religion—they too are one. It sure looks as though those of that persuasion would have the state religion to be worship of the state—and arrogantly call it progress. (Could another Jeroboam or Hitler be around the corner?)

Whatever course our nation and society take is up for chaotic grabs. To be sure, history keeps repeating itself. Just don’t allow any “wall of separation” to exist in your personal government. Do whatever needs to be done to maintain a HEART AFTER GOD. Its rewards are without measure.