Insightful Musings on theScriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Greetings, dear ones.

Already the day has been altered by the unforeseen. Oh well. So what else is new? We’re not allowed to see the details of the future anyway. It’s what makes life an ongoing adventure. Whew!—there—I’ve encouraged myself by reaffirming that view to relax. Thank you. You’re welcome. The two little boys are here for the weekend—and Thano went to work for the day, leaving at 6:30am. I face a major sign install for today—one I attempted to do yesterday, but it went amiss.

I followed through with a cardiologist appointment yesterday. I’m not so sure about all that goes on in this medical community. I’m real curious to know what this clinic charged my insurance for that visit. It was a series of 3 “professionals” who came into the room where I sat and interviewed me with basically the same question: “How are you doing?” Fine. “No chest pain, shortness of breath, hallucinations, etc.?” Nope. “You’ve opted to not take the prescribed Crestor?” Yes. “Why?” We’ve read up on compelling research outside the mainstream medical community (heavily driven by pharmaceutical companies) and we’re more scared of statin drugs than we are of what they claim to treat. Anyway, the whole deal could have been achieved by means of a 5-minute phone call—but how could they charge for that? Lots of money trails going on. Ya think?

I ran out of time to do an original—so here’s another 2010 model.

Blessings on your day.

Love, Dad/Ray.

Old man Simeon directed these words to Mary when she and Joseph brought baby Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to be dedicated. It really is a remarkable prophecy. “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against.”

Just before this address to Mary, Simeon had burst forth in a prophetic praise to God. “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32).

My overview of Biblical revelation would indicate that people who have no means for knowing truth and righteousness are not judged as much guilty against the truth and law of God as those who have been given revelation light. (Consider Jn. 9:41; Mtt. 10:34, 11:20-24; Lk. 12:48; Rom. 4:15, 5:13, 7:8) Those who have been given light have no excuse for remaining in the dark. Jesus, of course, is that LIGHT. He is the Revelation of God to man. Men are now responsible for how they respond to that Light and Revelation. Thus, Jesus Christ becomes the determining factor of man’s eternal falling or rising.

Notice too the statement of Simeon that this child is destined “to be a sign that will be spoken against.” There is a sadness to the story of Jesus as we behold men so mistreating their only hope of salvation from sin. And it is very sad to hear so many people today still speaking against Jesus Christ as though He were so much trash. I hope you do not find yourself comfortable with popular profanity that reduces His Name to no more than a blasphemous exclamation. Arrogantly and unwittingly, they are confirming their own eternal falling.

Ah, but for those of us who respond to this Light, it’s an entirely different story. We are like a drowning man clinging to the life line of our only hope, and find Jesus Christ to be a mighty Savior—our only hope for rising. (Jn. 1:12; Rom. 1:17-17; 1 Cor. 1:18-19)