Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, special ones.

The guy I was expecting yesterday morning at 10am didn’t show. We’ve rescheduled for this morning, same time. So first thing after sending this is to do a little cleaning and straightening in the shop in prep for that thickness planing operation.

Have a great day…as you remember who you are, and who you are living to please.

Love, Dad/Ray.

Surely you have heard the old sad broken-heart song that goes, “Heartaches by the number—Troubles by the score—Every day you love me less—Each day I love you more” (Guy Mitchell). David seems to have known his own version of that song. I don’t know how much he suffered in the area of romance, but he sure had a heap of trouble. Some of his most devastating troubles were those brought on by his own foul choices. And therein I think we can all identify. To be sure, no one can be trouble-free—trouble is here to stay this side of the grave. One of our primary choices to make in life is to determine what kind of trouble we want to cope with.

Thankfully, David helps us to balance out the gloom with glory. “Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare” (40:5). This could be a good time to sing Charles Wesley’s great expression in song, “O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing.” While we’re singing, let’s open to “The Love of God.” I’ll try to recite the last verse from memory—“Could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the skies of parchment made; Were every stalk on earth a quill, and every man a scribe by trade; To write the love of God above, would drain the ocean dry; Nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky.” Wow! Powerful poetry! Magnificent metaphor! Wonderful words! It speaks of tremendous truth!

If you haven’t discerned it by now, let me affirm that I hold a deep contempt for religion—the kind that I define as being man-made—a collection of rules, traditions, memberships, rituals, and ceremonies—the futile scheming of sinful men to reach a Holy God on their own by means of external religious acts. That spin prompts me to say often, “You need religion like you need another hole in your head.” For many, religion plays out to be just another form of trouble. The trouble is, those so influenced don’t know it. How so? Well, beginning with the fact of our fallen NATURAL SIN NATURE that deceitfully produces self-deception, that heart condition is also easily controlled by further deception. There is a deceptive quality in religion that works along with that condition like a mind-altering opiate—leading many to think they are OK because they’ve subscribed to a list of doctrines, they’re a member in good standing, prayed the sinner’s prayer, were baptized, taught Sunday School, sang in the choir, and have partaken of “Holy Communion.” Religion, in these terms, rocks the cradle of sleeping SAINTS and threatens to render them AIN’TS. Posing as a beacon of light, for many it actually flip-flops to become a tool of darkness. So why should I be in love with religion?!?! Here is my firm conviction that I wish I could shout in every ear (which never really proves to be effective): GOD IS NOT LOOKING FOR MORE RELIGION! WE ALREADY HAVE QUITE ENOUGH! HE’S SIMPLY LOOKING FOR MEN AND WOMEN THAT WILL SEEK, LOVE, AND SERVE HIM WITH ALL THEIR HEARTS! What a revolutionary idea!

Like a long-winded preacher, I’ve slipped into overtime. Final word: Review Psalm 40:6-8 and read Isaiah 1:10-20.