Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Greetings, dear ones, on the beginning of a hot day in Oregon.

Becki and I knocked out our walk/jog with some good dialogue. You’d be amazed at how close we come to getting everything all figured out in our morning discussions. Before returning to my studio, I decided to put together our new vacuum cleaner and try it out. Then it was time for breakfast…during which time I enjoyed some of my favorite pleasure on this property. It was warm enough to eat on the creekside deck…which gave me opportunity to get another feeding frenzy going among the cut-throat trout in the creek by tossing out little tidbits of my food. They love Becki’s fresh bread and fried eggs from Thano’s chickens…and don’t seem to mind a little Tabasco. Then, before I could get ready for other work, a guy rolled in with a bunch of cedar boards in the back of his pick up that he’d like to have re-sawn. I decided to jump on it right away while he was here to help and tallied just over a half hour doing so. Finally, I’m ready to send this.

Phooey! Becki just called me to report that Thano has strep throat. She just took him to the local clinic for diagnosis. But I suppose that’s better than “cut-throat.”

May your day be blessed…even if some things aren’t easy.

Love, Dad/Ray.

A lot has changed over time. To help underscore that, try looking through an old album of family photos while in front of your mirror. Another exercise is to visualize ancient cultures and lifestyles against today’s common-place dependence on the relative miracles of modern technology. Nevertheless, it seems that the psycho-spiritual struggles of mankind remain very constant—unchanged by technology, nationality, or culture. The psalmist Asaph in Psalm 73 captures and grapples with one of those age-old questions of life that confronts people today as much as it ever has—WHY DO THE RIGHTEOUS STRUGGLE AND THE WICKED PROSPER?

Consider the honest confession that Asaph makes. “But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked” (73:2-3). Think of it—way back then, he was tempted to “role-modelize” (just made a new word) those beautiful, strong, healthy, talented, invincible, confident, prosperous, secure, godless, and always-live-happily-ever-after movie stars—without ever seeing a movie!

Asaph goes on to give testimony of his pathway to deliverance from the struggle. It seems that up till then the internal tension that was pulling him in opposite directions was driving him nuts—“Do I pursue being a God-pleaser or a me-pleaser?” “When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me…” But then he put some effort to putting himself into God’s presence and seeking Him for the correct answer. Good move, Asaph! Best to not put your Maker on the back burner of last resort. “…till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny” (73:16-17). Lights came on—and strangely—there was no longer even a question. In that light he saw with clarity the dark price tag of the lifestyle he had ignorantly lusted after.

He goes on further still to articulate the core of a passionate HEART AFTER GOD. “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (73:25-26). You and I are wise to “role-modelize” this attitude—otherwise that age-old question will surely return to challenge us again.