Insightful Musings on the Scriptures
by
Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67
Hello again, dear ones.
I was able to get out of bed this morning. That’s a start. And, of course, if you’re going to get anything done, you have to start somewhere. Eventually, Becki and I even knocked out our walk/jog. But now it’s beyond time for me to be getting into the work scene. Although, I’ve already done some.
Question: How else could crazy end-times prophecy be fulfilled if men’s hearts and minds didn’t turn crazy? Do you see any evidence for the crazy shift?—in high and low places alike? Some of the stuff I hear reported on the radio that I often have on while doing signwork just boggles my mind. Of course, it’s a pretty small mind…and may be easily boggled. Just don’t neglect the antidote for mind-boggling—trusting in the Mind that isn’t. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5, KJV).
Oops! There I go again… Have a great day.
Love, Dad/Ray.
Some of David’s laments over his struggles with rejection and persecution parallel the sufferings of Christ. For example, “I am a stranger to by brothers, an alien to my own mother’s sons; for zeal for your house consumes me” (69:8). Jesus too was despised by his own brothers. And after Jesus stirred up chaos in the Jerusalem temple and chased out those who were treating it as a marketplace, John points to David’s words in Psalm 69 as Messianic prophecy being fulfilled. Consider also David’s description, “They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst” (69:21). That also was the experience of Jesus on the cross (Matthew 27:34).
TNobody likes rejection and persecution—at least, no one normal. Nevertheless, that is actually promised to be the normal result of being a Christ follower. Therefore, I have this question to raise: Is it possible that we are more afflicted with a hard-to-identify temptation than we typically know? What temptation is that? The temptation to think we can somehow beat the system? And what system is that? The system that reigns in a fallen world—the system that flows from the constant conflict between the two kingdoms of the universe—the system contained in the Biblical promise Paul puts to Timothy—“In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12-13).
The devil-driven phenomenon of “anti-Semitism” is certainly alive and well today, and fits perfectly with my Biblical worldview. And you and I who embrace the Jewish Messiah become targets of the same unreasonable contempt. No—it’s not fun, but we had better get used to it.
I’m not satisfied with just learning these principles of life for myself. I am hoping to do something beyond that—even though I know I’ve not yet found all the answers—hoping to pass along to my kids and grandkids some of the lessons I’ve learned with a hope to contribute to their minimizing trial-and-error learning. I’m encouraged to learn that this hope is compatible with David’s. “Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come” (71:17-18).
PS: Perhaps I will pass along an example of the kind of example I think is worth passing along. Becki shared it with me during our walk/jog this morning. It is a little accounting of something she picked up this last weekend from one of her Christian classmates while reconnecting at their 50th High School Reunion. The sister-in-law of this friend contracted a terminal disease that took her life as a young mother several years ago. While in town surrounding the Reunion, this friend visited the grave along with the 92-year-old mother of the sister-in-law. The friend commented to the mother, “When I get to heaven, I want to ask the Lord why He would take someone when they are so young.” The wise old mother responded, “When we get to heaven, it really won’t matter, will it?” Good word, mother. That’s worth remembering. That’s corrective counsel.