Insightful Musings on theScriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Greetings, dear people.

Becki and I just returned from our little walk/jog. At the top of the hill where Dandy had misplaced his ball yesterday morning, we put forth some effort to locate it. Bingo. Dandy recovered it.

I had Becki read this 2010 production. She approved it, but recommended that I develop further the original I started this morning. It would be nice if I could find time to do so later on today. But, the way the schedule is looking, it’s kind of doubtful.

Have a great Sunday—even though there are a couple recipients on the other side of the dateline where it’s already Monday. If we hurry, maybe we can catch up.

Love, Dad/Ray.

This is not one of the traditional “Beatitudes,” but it gives some special insight into another kind of condition for receiving the blessing of God.

It is quite apparent that John the Baptist was having some questions in his mind at this point concerning whether or not Jesus was indeed the Messiah. Maybe the unfolding ministry and influence of Jesus as the Messiah was not as fast and dramatic as John had previously envisioned and it raised some doubts. It’s good to know that Jesus was not alarmed or offended by John’s question. Nor is He offended by your honest fluctuations of faith. He only wants you to be continually reminded as to His trustworthiness. That’s how He directs John. Jesus actually makes reference to His fulfilling the Messianic prophecy of Isaiah 35:5-6: “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy.” Whereas Jesus had been doing an abundance of miracles just like those described by Isaiah, He was saying to John, “Check it out. You be the judge. Do I not have here the credentials of the Messiah? If so, trust Me.”

“The just shall live by faith” (Heb. 10:38) is a high-ranking Biblical principle. True faith, however, does not require crystal clear perception and complete understanding. It only requires our walking in the light that we have. I confess, for example, to having a large number of unsettled questions about a lot of Bible doctrines. But that must not be allowed to impair my confidence that God is true, that He is good, and that He has everything under control. Deuteronomy 29:29 has been a stabilizing influence down through the years of my own pilgrimage, “The secret things (things not yet clearly revealed) belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” That helps me understand that I am not responsible for what I do not or cannot know, but I am responsible for what I do and can know. Furthermore it seems that God will never permit me such an abundance of vision and understanding that I no longer need to “live by faith.”

BLESSED IS THE MAN, therefore, who does not give up or surrender his faith in Christ just because of a shortage of understanding or because Christ does not appear to be performing in ways we would expect or prefer. May we measure up to this condition for blessing.