Insightful Musings on the Scriptures
by
Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67
Welcome to a beautiful June morning, dear ones.
I need to hurry off to a job I began yesterday afternoon…I dropped 8 trees for a guy nearby. Now for limbing, bucking, decking, and some hauling. Thano will join me before he goes to work at 1:30pm.
Blessings on all your going.
Love, Dad/Ray.
Do you notice that there is no evidence of the motivation of love and compassion contained in all these spiels of verbal condemnation from Job’s “friends?” Job sure notices it. At one point he shouts his complaint—“How long will you torment me and crush me with words?” (19:2). At the same time, do you notice that those same speeches contain large amounts of Biblical TRUTH? An important point is to be made here: BIBLICAL TRUTH WIELDED WITHOUT LOVE AND COMPASSION CAN BECOME A HAMMER OF HARM AND HURT that doesn’t help anyone. And that’s a description of RELIGION—the same kind that crucified Jesus—legalistic, cold, liturgical, arrogant, exclusive, unproductive NONSENSE. Biblical TRUTH that is not blended with love and a HEART AFTER GOD renders the equivalent of FALSEHOOD.
I confess that Job made me cry this morning. He didn’t try to—nor did I expect this burst of emotion as I took in his burst of faith. His affirmation of hope and trust amidst the intensity of his suffering can only result from Spirit-inspired revelation—and I reason that such revelation is only known by a HEART AFTER GOD. Normally we seek spiritual inspiration and guidance from people who have it all together—people who are trained, healthy, attractive, confident, enthusiastic, and loud. How often do we seek encouraging input in a hospital or convalescent facility?—from those in the depths of suffering? But if you have ever had the privilege of being in the presence of a man of God, a worthy role-model, a person that demonstrates faithfulness and the encouraging value of a HEART AFTER GOD, you have it here in the presence of Job in chapter 19. “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes — I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” (19:25-27).
Behind the scenes of incredible misery, I’m beholding a scene of incredible beauty. Close your eyes and listen with your best Bible ears. Do you hear it? I’m hearing shouts of celebration, choirs singing, an orchestra playing, trumpets blasting, cymbals crashing. So what prompts this special audio perception. I’m picking up on the story Jesus told that offers a disclosure of heavenly realities behind the scenes of earthly ones. Jesus presented the account of a woman who lost a valuable coin, and when she finds it is so overwhelmed with joy and celebration that she throws a party with her neighbors who are invited to join in her jubilation. Then Jesus adds, “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10). If there is this much heavenly celebration over a repenting sinner, it stands to reason there would also be over a faithing (I just made up that word) saint—a dedicated believer who perseveres with a HEART AFTER GOD no matter what. Very similar is the testimony of the Apostle Paul—“That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day” (2 Timothy 1:12).
Please give heaven cause for rejoicing.