Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Greetings, dear people.

Our morning routine is a little irregular again today. I was scheduled to drop into a dental chair at 8am. And Becki is scheduled for the same chair at 9am. So she’s there now. I drove the Camry and she drove the Ford van. We actually passed on the road. I winked my lights at her. One thing I didn’t like about the appointment is that it is causing another appointment. In fact, I’m now booked to be back in that same chair tomorrow morning at 8am for a minor repair—with a major price tag.

Lots on the list again. Among other things, I’ll probably spend a few more hours today in front of this computer. I doubt I’ll get much time to do some repairs to a Traeger grill that Andy and Delaine gave us. When we put it onto the trailer Monday night it was in good shape, but after it fell off the trailer at about 50mph, it’s not in very good shape. How did it fall off? Don’t ask. Suffice it to say that my foolish tie-down blunder was as bad as the last play of the Seahawks in the recent Super Bowl game.

Thano was given a good acrostic in his brain-injury rehab therapy—STAR—STOP, THINK, ANALYZE, RESPOND. Of course, he never remembers it. But I do—once in a while. My own head injury is not quite as severe—yet.

Blessings on your day.

Love, Dad/Ray.

Let’s revisit the original question posed by the disciples that prompted Jesus’ lengthy discourse in this chapter. Perhaps I will paraphrase the question in my own words: “Jesus, can You please tell us when You will return and how everything will play out in clear terms and in nice chronological order leading up to the end of the world?”

As a practical Bible believer and student for many years, if that question were asked of me, I would have to offer my best, most accurate, most educated, and most authoritative answer: I DON’T KNOW!

I really believe that this is the best answer—and the basic one intended by the Author of this revelation. It’s not that Jesus is saying, “I don’t know,” but He’s clearly implying, “You don’t need to know—that’s really none of your business!” I have to believe that He is quite aware of the room He has left in this disclosure for variations of interpretation and accompanying debate. This is another case that supports the thesis that GOD’S WORD IS INSPIRED NOT ONLY IN WHAT IT SAYS, BUT ALSO IN WHAT IT DOESN’T SAY. However, He has embedded in this insight two essential commands about which no one has any legitimate reason for misunderstanding. The first is in verse 42: “KEEP WATCH.” The second is in verse 44: “BE READY.” There you are, folks. That’s about all you need to know. Of course it is all to be done in line with Biblical revelation and calls for FAITHFULNESS (vv. 45-46). And if we add to this the word TODAY (present tense), you have a sure-fire standard for guaranteeing your being a participant in all the great and exciting events that God intends for you whenever and however He chooses to lace them together. So KEEP WATCH TODAY. BE READY TODAY.