Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Hello, dear ones.

It’s wet and overcast out there…but not raining at this moment. No jog this morning. I need to go into action to get my sawmill set up in the mill shed and be ready to slice up some cedar logs for a guy about 10am. I finally finished up a job yesterday that occupied the mill for about 5 months…and finally have the mill back home.

If you’ve been following these little transmissions, you know that today we have set as a kind of deadline for getting requests from you to remain on the recipient list. If you’ve already responded, that’s enough.

I sure hope you have a great day…as you recognize that it depends largely on you.

Love, Dad/Ray.

This un-named Roman Centurion is a curious fellow in my view. Where did he go to school? What was in his background to influence such a clear worldview that includes the realm of the spirit. How did he come to recognize Jesus as being God—at least as possessing unquestionable supernatural power and authority in the realm of the spirit. Whatever the case may be, that brief exchange caused Jesus to publicly exclaim, “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith” (8:10). Hang on those last two words—GREAT FAITH.

It could have been the same day that the narrative finds Jesus and His disciples in a boat heading across to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. A surprise squall swept down across that body of water and the disciples were freaked out—it didn’t look good. Anytime a boat is being filled with the same stuff it is designed and intended to resist—it’s just not good! It’s even dangerous—and life-threatening! (Suddenly, I’m presented with another temptation to run off on a lesson-laden rabbit trail.) Jesus did not share their anxiety. In fact, He was sleeping. What? Sleeping? Now that’s just great! We have on board this miracle-worker—while we’re fighting for our lives—and He’s sleeping?!? Good grief—if we’ve ever needed His super-duper intervention, we sure do need it now! Phooey! Doesn’t that allow for the possibility that He cares enough for others so as to miraculously meet their needs, but doesn’t really care that much about us (me). “The disciples went and woke him saying, ‘Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” (8:25). I don’t think it was a gentle nudge with a soft whisper. It could have been a falsetto scream due to a gush of adrenalin. (I know something about that feeling.)

However the details played out, the first words from Jesus are noteworthy—“You of little faith” (8:26). Did you catch that? LITTLE FAITH. That, of course, is in contrast to GREAT FAITH.

So—how will you have it? Which FAITH class will you pursue and nurture?