Insightful Musings on theScriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, special people.

One little engagement that kept me off line for a few days was a job I did at my brother’s place near Yakima—trimming their huge maple trees—hanging by my tail out of that boom truck basket. Actually there are times when I wished I had something like a monkey’s tail to assist in some of those antics. I did bail out of that basket several times—on a rope—rappelling to ground or to a cut-off point. Once I was forced to rappel down because the starter solenoid hung up causing the starter to spin without turning off. Thankfully, my brother was nearby and was able to scramble to disconnect a battery cable—soon enough to prevent the starter from burning out. At that point the boom was totally non-functional. I borrowed his cool little Porsche with the top down and ran to an auto parts store nearby to pick up another solenoid switch. That resolved my problems. I returned home late Saturday night—and slept like a log.

Meanwhile, the earth keeps turning—turning on its axis with some residents turning to God, and some turning away. You don’t have to wonder which way I choose to turn and point. Indeed there is no security worth securing that can substitute for that relationship.

Blessings on your day.

Love, Dad/Ray.

During my early school days I was a pretty lousy history student. However, with my increase in years I’m finding myself increasingly interested in history. There seems to be a great deal in the archives of history that is truly “stranger than fiction.” One strange fact of history is the intensity of the HOSTILITY that has and does exist between certain ranks of GENTILES toward JEWS. It is the phenomenon of anti-Semitism. It seems quite clear to me that the nature of the conflict is not rooted entirely in natural human bias or prejudice. There is something that seems sinister and supernatural about it all. The blind diabolical hatred that some GENTILES have had toward the JEWS defies all natural reason. And the fact that JEWS remain a distinct people group after so many attempts down through history to exterminate them also defies natural reason. The basic conclusion I draw is that Satan is very much against the JEWS, and God is very much for the JEWS.

Let’s be reminded that our Christian faith is very much Jewish. It has its origins in God’s dealings with the Jewish people flowing out of His promise to Abraham that He would make of Abraham a massive nation and that all the nations of the world would find blessing through Abraham’s Seed Whom we recognize to be Christ, the Jewish Messiah…but more than that, He is Christ, the Savior of all the world. (I could make a list of supporting scriptures here a mile long but won’t.)

Today’s reading really is a great passage to bring it all together in simple and concise terms. How can we not rejoice in this revelation of God that discloses and defines our Salvation—the fact that we GENILES have just as much right and opportunity to participate in God’s plan as do the JEWS. Indeed “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal 3:28-29). Praise God!