Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Hello, dear ones.

I snuck away earlier to do a jog with no one knowing, other than Becki. Not even Bimbo knew. He was busy goofing off with the little boys. But then Andy found me with his cell phone. Among other things, we talked about some strategies for nailing some tuna this summer. We didn’t make it out at all last summer. I’ve heard that the tuna are already within range off our coast. That’s hard to know.

Hopefully, I can knock out some sawmill work today…besides more signwork.

Blessings. Love, Dad/Ray.

There is a lot of noise in these three psalms. But please don’t turn down your hearing aid. The first couple verses are just a sampling. “Shout with joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious!” (66:1-2). And since I like to read these passages out loud in my private cubicle, I made a lot of noise this morning too—punctuating the loud parts with LOUD. While we are not to base our lives entirely on feelings, there is something that feels good about reading that way. In fact, being intentional about putting myself in a setting where I let ’er rip—where I intently and intensely turn up the volume to the max and SHOUT PRAISE and SING PRAISE when there is no one else around (except my dog…who has become used to it and doesn’t seem to mind)—it seems like it does me good to hear it—like it makes an impression on even me—like “Wow—this guy is really getting serious about this stuff!”

This has raised a wonder in me—based partly on some things we’ve talked about recently relating to personal exercises of psycho-spiritual therapy. So, I’m made to wonder if David happened to capture something more important than we normally hear promoted. We often hear the benefits of something like YOGA being promoted as an exercise of personal psycho-spiritual therapy. But how often do we hear about the personal benefits of SHOUTING and SINGING LOUD to the Lord our Maker? Is it possible that we have allowed something valuable to get by us? If so, I would be inclined to underscore PRIVATE. Of course there are church styles where a lot of noise is adopted as part of the liturgy—like it’s expected for the attendees to SHOUT and SING and PRAISE LOUD—and those of this mindset are made to feel that they haven’t been to church if the setting is void of a lot of noise. Of course the risk there is to simply conform to the pressure of expectation and put on a show. But it’s a good deal less likely that you will slip into phony showmanship if it’s just you and God (and your dog). If you’ve not engaged in this kind of intentional worship before (or it’s been a long time since you did) maybe you should try it. (You always have the shower. But then, others in the house may think you’ve bumped your head hard. How about doing it while driving alone in your vehicle? If so, don’t worry about other drivers thinking you have one of those big booming stereos.)

Everyone has to find their own balance. It’s best, however, if we can find a balance that is balanced. Over the years I admit that I have come to prefer a church setting where I am required to put forth effort to restrain my loud surge of private worship in response to the dynamic of truth presented, rather than having to put forth effort to conform to a public performance of worship.

What happens when the team you’re rooting for makes one of those sensational plays and scores a touchdown? What happens when that little guard on your team dribbles through the impossible maze of giants and plants a perfect swisher? Can you conceive of a more worthy cause for SHOUTING and SINGING PRAISE to God than what the psalmist puts forth in the FOCUS VERSE? (Oops! I notice my volume raising.) “Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death.” Haleluia! “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Roman 6:23). Praise God!—out loud!