Insightful Musings on theScriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, dear people.

We’ll plan on heading to church in about an hour. But I think I have to deal first with an “ox in the ditch.” I remembered while laying in bed before 4am that I failed to produce a few 2x12s needed by this fellow doing the remodel. Since I have some slabs laying out there on the mill’s loading arms, I’ll go out and crank things up just to trim out about 3 pieces. From then on it should be a normal Sunday—with its normal abnormalities.

Hey—I remember seeing some bread rising in the kitchen. I’m sure it’s out by now. Would I be violating anything to have a slice of fresh-out-of-the-oven bread before bed? We have some farm-fresh butter…and some farm-fresh honey. Sounds like a farm-fresh idea.

Be blessed today.

Love, Dad/Ray.

The main idea of my chosen focus can be configured into a thesis: EVERY LIFE STYLE HAS AN OUTCOME. If that is a valid statement, it becomes a point of wisdom to be very careful when shopping for a lifestyle to embrace—careful in selecting who we wish to imitate—careful to examine more than the attractiveness of a person’s beginnings, strategies, goal-setting, achievements, fortunes, and fame, but also their ending. In other words, how did they die? Were they accompanied by faith and peace when they passed on, or did they demonstrate a torment beyond their physical suffering?—afflicted with guilt and fear at the prospect of being totally out of control, facing the unknown, with the ominous possibility of being brought into an encounter of accountability with their Maker?

Do you recognize the strong implication here?—that the safest and most reliable role models to select are those that are dead! Why? Because you are able to examine not only little snapshots of their lives, but the bigger picture that includes their outcome.

Be reminded of a point made by the author of Hebrews a couple chapters back—“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth” (Hebrews 11:13). That last sentence is worth imitating too. Therefore, I too choose to acknowledge and admit that I’m not a permanent fixture around here—that my terminus is fast approaching.

To be sure, as I evaluate my own sojourn, I’m definitely not very flush with fortune and fame. But I choose to be very intentional to prioritize being flush with faith and freedom (from sin and its consequences). James offers this encouragement: “Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?” (James 2:5-6).