Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, dear ones.

Another hot steamy day for working out of doors. I’ll try to take off on a jog in a few minutes. Becki is kind of confined to the house by two little boys.

I’m definitely not looking forward to my diet today…or what I’m facing tomorrow. It’s my “prep” day for tomorrow’s colonoscopy…my first. Yippee! Only liquids today. Then about 5pm I’m supposed to drink that ugly concoction that turns a person inside out. Becki, based on her experience, suggests that after I drink that stuff, I just go sit on the toilet and stay there…maybe arrange some kind of prop and support system and plan to sleep there. So exciting. I hope I’m not offending you by my transparency. But I gather from some feedback I get that some of you like my daily trivia more than my daily devotionals. For sure, there’s not much devotional inspiration in this little trivia…other than His grace is sufficient.

Have fun…if you can. At the same time, be devoted. That’s what allows fun to be the most fun…and non-fun to be the most bearable.

Love, Dad/Ray.

We are certainly gaining some insights into the real Paul through these readings—as well as the real problems that he faced as a missionary church planter. He is clearly upset over the infiltration of certain spurious ministers who were apparently quite dramatic and sensational in their style and gained a large following among the young undiscerning Corinthian believers—a fellowship that Paul had earlier established and nurtured. These guys must have told lots of exciting stories to draw attention to themselves and to show off their great spiritual power and knowledge. Judging by Paul’s reaction, they must have been far better at talking and manipulating people’s emotions than they were at living an exemplary life. (Have you ever encountered the type? I’m sure you have.) They must have been causing the people to think more highly of them than was appropriate with the hidden motive to collect some big offerings. Perhaps Paul recognized that this kind of so-called ministry generated a form of exciting Christian entertainment without generating any true or lasting edification of the believers. In an attempt to defend the worth of his own ministry investment and to protect this young work from a contaminated faith, Paul proceeds to tell some sensational stories of his own. He clearly does not enjoy this kind of thing. He states that ordinarily I REFRAIN to avoid people thinking of him beyond what is appropriately demonstrated by his life and the power of the Word of God that he promotes.

As I meditate on this I have to consider that very likely it is by God’s intention and grace that I have not been awarded a lot of sensational and dramatic miraculous manifestations in the course of my own ministry experience over the years. If I could lay claim to such trophies of great spiritual power and anointing, it is quite possible that my own dirty little ego (self) would cause me to lift myself up before men too, with a version of spiritual pride that is unproductive of the fruit of the Spirit. Like Paul, I reason that I actually “need” some kind of “thorn in the flesh” (v. 7), or puncture to my inflated ego, in order “to keep me from being conceited” over all my sensational effectiveness. I think it is good for me to pick up on the words that the Lord spoke to Paul in verse 9: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (v. 9). Think of it. That says to me that my personal understanding of my own weakness and my genuine reception of the grace of God that transforms me into a person with a renewed mind have the potential of satisfying and fulfilling His plan for my life. It becomes a sufficient completion of the purpose for His power.

Like a lot of other preachers, I’m choosing to conclude here by saying, “Let’s pray.” Let’s make this prayer personal. “Lord, may I REFRAIN from attempting to make use of Your gracious gifts as instruments for winning attention to myself. May I be satisfied with Your all-sufficient grace. May Your Kingdom come and Your will be done in this earthen vessel as it is in heaven. Amen.”