Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, dear ones.

Not only does this Spring time cause the flowers and grass to spring forth, it seems to be causing a springing forth of an overwhelming amount of work. Combined with that are other realities—like Becki’s upcoming hip replacement surgery in just 5 days (the 17th). In view of that event, I joined her in attending a set of orientation and post-surgery training classes at the hospital yesterday.

The view from this window, if I look beyond my cluttered mess, is gorgeous—clear sky, sunshine, frosty-cold, and calm. It helps to make the mess and all the work it represents more bearable. And before I take on some of it, I’m going to knock out a jog. It occurs to me that I’m actually working right now—as I have the cutter/plotter machine next to me purring away cutting out a huge file of Thano’s graphics that he will weed, take apart, and heat-transfer to T-shirts that he will be marketing at this week’s Brain Injury Conference. That conference will engage Becki for about 3 days or so up through this weekend.

Well—can you bear another re-run? I felt that the devotional for today from 4 years ago was hard to improve on—not to mention my shortage of time to compose a fresh one.

May your day contain some DISTRESS—the right kind. Blessings.

Love, Dad/Ray.

I have a general belief that anyone who really really believes the Biblical Gospel, that there is a real heaven to gain and a real hell to shun, and who beholds the general emptiness and ignorance in society at large as men grope in futility for meaning and fulfillment, will have to share in Paul’s Spirit-inspired emotion of being GREATLY DISTRESSED. How can a person of this belief be unmoved by such knowledge and perspective? How can such a person be silent or inactive? How can any other conclusion be drawn from an overview of Scripture than MEN WITHOUT CHRIST ARE LOST?!

There is both some bad news and good news mixed into this view and its corresponding involvement. Part of the bad news is that one will certainly meet up with opposition, persecution, and abuse. Remember, they’re empty and ignorant. So it’s not uncommon to hear words of contempt as Paul heard in Athens: “What is this babbler trying to say?” This bad news flows out of the fact that you can’t win them all. But the good news is that you can win some. At least you can lend positive influence by staying filled with the Spirit-Word, ready to offer a good word, and live a clean life that honors the Object of your faith. Such a non-confronting witness has the potential of raising some gnawing doubts in their minds as to the security and truth of their own position. That’s what Paul accomplished in Athens. I have a hunch that’s what God wants you to do in your own Athens.

Don’t allow yourself to resist or resent being GREATLY DISTRESSED. Nurture it. It’s a vital component of your Biblical faith. It’s an indispensable part of God’s plan. Where would we be if God were not (in a sense) GREATLY DISTRESSED over our lost condition? Would we even have a chance to know the Gospel if someone along the line was not GREATLY DISTRESSED? In fact, I think it is quite appropriate to pray, “Lord, help me to be GREATLY DISTRESSED.”