Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, dear ones.

…but there isn’t much left of it. Laced into has been some work and business details. But I did take on a difficulty trail with this devotional that was less than quick and easy to finish off.

Again, I’m seeing evidence that I’m losing it. This morning I made a beautiful pot of crystal clear coffee—meaning that I failed to put any coffee in the hopper. I did however, fill up the cannister that I keep the coffee in. I guess my preoccupied head figured I was good to go. Becki and I laughed about it on our walk/jog. I think that’s superior to crying—or denying.

Happy Hallo-whatever! We will rejoice in today and be agonizingly glad.

Love, Dad/Ray.

What?! Did you hear that? Is the God of the Bible really announcing through the mouthpiece of Amos that He is bent on bringing evil upon His own people Israel? Isn’t this the same God that Christians so regularly present as a God of love, mercy, and forgiveness? Here lies deep heartache for me. How so? Because I am recognizing with growing clarity that if anyone chooses to choke and stumble over the reality and legitimacy of God’s authority, judgment, and punishment will just have to go on choking and stumbling—with no escape—and all their hopes and dreams for success and happiness will be as futile as running down a rainbow—or like back-slidden Solomon’s appraisal—“chasing the wind” (e.g., Ecclesiastes 1:14, 17). Why is it so hard for thick skulls and dirty hearts to understand that GOD IS GOOD AND SIN IS BAD? How in the world can intelligent humans allow themselves to reject that thesis and carry on with stupid rebellion against their Sovereign Authority Who so clearly demonstrates throughout human history that no one really escapes the truth of that thesis?

This general heartache comes very close to home. I behold the reality of this paradoxical conflict in my own home. Just yesterday, as a matter of fact, I again witnessed the signs of this innate propensity toward stupid rebellion in the behavior of my 3-year-old grandson. He so wants to be happy—but chooses to regularly fight against his only hope for happiness—which is cooperation and obedience. Duh! There are times where he just can’t seem to compute that simple idea any better than he can Einstein’s “theory of relativity.” We, of course, would be idiots indeed to pour all our time and effort into pleasing him on the basis of what he thinks will make him happy. And here’s the heartache of heartaches: There are mature adults all around us who can compute the “theory of relativity” but can’t grasp the simple concept that GOD IS GOOD AND SIN IS BAD. So we have here on planet earth a collection of little sinners and big sinners—variations of immature and adult—but they’re all sinners in need of a Savior. When this idea sinks in, suddenly everything makes sense—suddenly we recognize more clearly that there is nothing going on within our modern world that is really new. We will be able to hear all the stupid news and basically understand why. We can watch children play and fight and understand how it works. We can behold ugly teenage rebellion and connect basic dots. We can witness a marriage war and perceive basic cause and effect. The whole crazy puzzle fits together to display the over-arching truth that GOD IS GOOD AND SIN IS BAD! And, speaking of truth, I think I have finally figured out what truth is: TRUTH IS WHAT GOD KNOWS AND SAYS IS TRUE. Bingo! Lights come on all over the place!

Allow me to return to the idea of heartache that I mentioned above. I see Biblical happiness and fulfillment as a not-so-easy balancing act between a PASSIONATE LOVE FOR GOD and PASSIONATE AGONY—the unavoidable result of LOVING THOSE GOD LOVES. The “joy of the Lord” and true godliness are not made of constant happy giddy fun. They are balanced by the agony of seeing so many around us in this up-side-down sin-bound world that choose to choke and stumble over the very key to their own happiness and fulfillment. Indeed, even famous John 3:16 and 17 bear a glimpse of this agony from within the heart of God. In His mind there is clearly no confusion whatsoever over the validity of the thesis that GOD IS GOOD AND SIN IS BAD. If the Bible is true, I can’t imagine a truth more true! And, strange as it may seem, tucked away in this balancing act we discover not only our source of joy, but also our motivation for ministry. Please be joyfully motivated.

“Oh, Lord—help us to see our desperate need for You at every point!”