Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good afternoon, dear people.

Yup!...it’s later than desired getting this pumped out. But I had to cope with the fact that my computer was in the care of a tech guy at MCC (Molalla Communications) until this afternoon. I wasn’t having big bad problems with it, but I wanted to pursue a tune-up. It has been a little easier to sit here at the computer this afternoon as the weather spectacle out this window has been solid rain. At least I was able to get in a little bit of milling and fabrication work this morning before the rain took over.

Blessings. Love, Dad/Ray.

We all live with varying degrees of regret. But our Biblical faith does not require us to camp there—to remain in the mode of sorrow, confession, and repentance. Those heart-level responses to our guilt of sin before the gracious God of the Bible offer the wonderful relief of forgiveness and cleansing. And that should be enough to prompt from us effortless worship and hard-to-contain joy. To be sure, the strength and attractiveness of our ongoing Biblical faith is not in our sorrow over sin but in our joy of being forgiven from sin.

Attractiveness is something worth talking about. If the Biblical faith is something important, it should also be attractive. Why else would unbelievers want to become believers? It can only be because the benefits of believing has been shown to be more attractive than the status of not believing. I believe this is at the heart of Jesus’ intended meaning when he said, “You are the light of the world…let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds (performed with the joy of the LORD) and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16). And when the Psalmist says, “O magnify the LORD with me” (Psalm 34:3), an appropriate paraphrase could be, “Join me in making the LORD look good!” However we slice it, the range of benefits contained in a balanced Biblical faith should cause believers to adorn the Gospel by being the happiest, friendliest, most out-going, and positively passionate people on the planet. If not, why not?

If I were ever in the restaurant business, I would want to make radiated happiness as much a job description for my staff as the tasks they perform. Most likely we can all recall experiences of being served by a grumpy waiter or waitress—or even one that is blah—maybe even one that is quite competent, but gives you the impression they’d rather be doing something else. Very likely, those encounters register a negative subliminal message in our brains that void or reduce any attractions to return.

Let me invite you to “Join me in making the LORD look good.” Don’t be afraid of some self-examination that asks: To what degree do I make the LORD attractive?