Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, dear ones.

Pretty day at present. I think there was a little frost on the ground. Becki just left to do some errands. One objective is to pick up another trip permit for the boom truck. I have a little job to do with it right away…then next week I have slated a serious tree removal job.

Becki will also pick up a new battery for the riding lawnmower. I’m going to go out right now and test the mower after having spindle bearings replaced in the mower deck. I also put in a new drive belt last night. Then…oh never mind. It’s a big list.

In our private discussion yesterday surrounding our Scripture reading, Becki made reference to the challenge of Joshua to his contemporaries in Joshua 24:15—“…then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…” It occurred to me that the challenge could be embraced as a daily psycho-spiritual self-management standard. So every morning that we are allowed to wake up to, we could help to recalibrate our personal compass to choose/determine which direction we are going to live in today—who we are going to live for today. Do the same the next day—and the next day—and the next day—and so on. Sounds like a good plan to me.

Blessings on your busy day. Choose well.

Love, Dad/Ray.

It is of supreme importance that we gain an understanding of WHO Jesus is. Of course there are a lot of different views and opinions out there—many of which render Jesus and the Bible of only marginal importance. I, for one, cannot bring myself to believe He is just a great example of piety and moral excellence. He is not just a man who was mightily empowered by God to preach and perform miracles. He is not just the founder of a renowned religious system. The over-all scriptural revelation leaves only one conclusion for me: HE IS GOD. If you have any doubts whatsoever, I encourage you to study the whole and gather the facts with an attitude of heart that honestly seeks God and His truth. Don’t trust the research and conclusions of others, or even your own independent judgments.

Needless to say, the teachers of the law who were in the presence of Jesus on this particular occasion were wrong in their judgment of Jesus’ true identity, but they were right when they reasoned, “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Being only half right made them grossly wrong.

I am quick to confess to a limited understanding of the incarnation—this great display of God becoming man. But that’s okay. Why should I stumble over my finiteness in my fledgling struggle to comprehend infiniteness? After all, I can barely understand how my own finite body can digest the breakfast I just ate. Nor do I have the capacity to comprehend infinity—it’s just too far outside my finite fence. All I can do is accept the adequate evidence that JESUS IS GOD. In so doing, I must also accept the scriptural fact that GOD ALONE can forgive MY sins. I encourage you to read again the prophetic lines of Isaiah 9:6.