Insightful Musings on theScriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Greetings again from Missouri, dear ones.

I had hoped to do a jog…but it’s raining out there.

Things became congested yesterday and I didn’t get to doing much with this devotional routine. But when I read this morning my 2010 entry for yesterday, I decided to edit a few words and send it along for yesterday. It’s another attempt at a bottom-line statement of personal THINGS IMPORTANT.

We’ve heard a lot of those political campaign ads on the radio that end up with a little post script by the politician himself/herself. In like manner I could add this PS to the composition below: “This is Ray Sparre. And I approve this message.”

Today we will be winging our way back to Oregon. Have a blessed day.

Love, Dad/Ray.

This phrase has caught my attention this morning. It is a description of Zechariah and Elizabeth who became the parents of this special man we know as John the Baptist. Zechariah and Elizabeth were reasonably normal people. No doubt they had their share of bumps and bruises down through their lives. Elizabeth mentions her “disgrace” of being barren…something Zechariah no doubt felt as well. But what sets them apart and makes them candidates for special service is that, “Both of them were upright in the sight of God.”

We have just read through the epistles of Peter and James. Both of them talk about the fleeting nature of life. Peter presents the illustration that a man’s life is like grass that doesn’t last long. All his great achievements are like a flower that blossoms and then withers into nothingness (1 Peter 1:24-25). He also encourages us to evaluate things important against the promise of impending destruction (2 Peter 3:11-12). James says essentially the same thing (James 1:10-11) and then goes on to get a little stronger by saying that our lives are like a mist that appears for a brief time and then disappears (James 4:14).

In addition to these scriptural perspectives, I suppose my age and physical condition have some influence on my thoughts concerning these things. I think it is appropriate for me to make some determinations about what in life is most important to me. I have concluded that questing for fame, wealth, or great achievements are not on my list of priorities. Of course, there is the possibility that if I had more of a natural ability to gain those things, I might have a little more struggle removing them from that list. So perhaps I am blessed by being weak and less than outstanding in my achievements. But I think this description of Zechariah and Elizabeth is a good statement of my basic desire in life…to simply and fundamentally be “upright in the sight of God.” To me, that says it all. To me, that’s as important as it gets. To me, that’s a synonym phrase for a HEART AFTER GOD.