Insightful Musings on theScriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good afternoon, dear ones.

It’s sure a pretty day here in the Willamette Valley. We’ve done a good deal of driving through it today, going with Ray and Lorna Wilson to an event in Salem surrounding some of their old friends—a church service and a 65th wedding anniversary. That excursion influenced us to cancel our Pheasant Pointe Gospel Sing for today. Over approximately 12 years of our doing that routine, there have been very few cancellations. But before our departure this morning, Becki and I were able to knock out a walk/jog.

A heavy work week is coming into view. But I suppose a week of whatever is coming into view for you too. Let’s just keep seeking and leaning on the One Who keeps giving us another week…right down to another second.

Be blessed.

Love, Dad/Ray.

Jesus is presented here as being on a much higher plane than was Moses. But in comparison, we run the risk of being no higher in our following of Jesus than most of the Israelites were in their following of Moses. Be reminded and warned that nearly all the people of Israel who left Egypt never made it into the Promised Land. That is a fact worth pondering—a warning worth heeding.

I think you will agree that following through with my personal responsibilities before God is far more important than keeping on my shelf a nice book of ideas about God—and maybe reading from it once in a while—and maybe joining with a group that talks about it once in a while. In this regard, let me compose two declarations that stand out to me loud and clear in this passage relative to my personal responsibilities:

Firstly, I AM PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE TO MAINTAIN A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FOCUS OF MY FAITH—JESUS. “Therefore, holy brothers, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess” (3:1). I can’t seem to avoid the repetition of equating this basic responsibility as one and the same with maintaining a HEART AFTER GOD.

Secondly, I AM PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE TO LOOK AFTER AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE FAITH HEALTH OF THOSE IN MY COMPANY. “See to it that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first” (3:12-14).

Listen to this same passage in the Message translation: “So watch your step, friends. Make sure there’s no evil unbelief lying around that will trip you up and throw you off course, diverting you from the living God. For as long as it’s still God’s Today, keep each other on your toes so sin doesn’t slow down your reflexes. If we can only keep our grip on the sure thing we started out with, we’re in this with Christ for the long haul.”