Insightful Musings on theScriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, dear ones.

Sunday afternoon, friends impulsively invited us to join them at a lodge at Timothy Lake. We impulsively complied. Good time. We returned yesterday afternoon through the beautiful forests surrounding the Clackamas River. Gorgeous.

It really is easy to get caught up in identifying all the errors and problems of current politics and social issues. I suppose that with proper balance, that’s well and good. But to high-center there and make that the primary theme of our conversations is an exercise in futility…or worse. Jesus is still the answer.

Lots on the list. I think I’ll first try out a little jog…and see if I can get through it without a heart attack. Becki is engaged with breakfast-making…and the little boys.

Have a great addition to your accumulation of days.

Love, Dad/Ray.

Are you kidding me, Paul? “A spirit of unity among yourselves?” “One heart and mouth” glorifying God?—among all those who claim to represent Him? Come on, Paul—get real—it would appear that the Body of Christ is so divided and splintered in their claims, views, and opinions that there is hardly a trace of unity. In fact, it’s such a jumbled up mess of competition, superiority, debate, and hypocrisy that I don’t wish to have anything to do with it! I’ll just get alone with God in my own way out in the forests or at the lake. At least that’s how many would choose to assess the spectacle of “church-ianity” and conclude the confusing matter.

But wait—there really is a wonderful commodity of UNITY available to those with a HEART AFTER GOD, devoted to “follow Christ Jesus” and “glorify” God (make Him look good). The worst flaws seem to develop when one is more devoted to following a particular personality or his denominational doctrinal distinctives rather than the Biblical Jesus. But living to promote Jesus Christ and the “endurance and encouragement” of that relationship allows, in my opinion, a demonstration of the most wonderful form of unity known to man.

Not only is Jesus the basis of our UNITY, but He is our only HOPE. That collective recognition is very uniting. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him so that you may overflow with hopeby the power of the Holy Spirit” (v. 13). Not only filled, but overflowing! Contrast that with the rhetoric of “hope and change” surrounding the last presidential election. Indeed, without this message of hope and change individually available through Jesus, any lasting socio-political hope and change is just plain hopeless!