Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good evening, dear people.

I don’t really like this time of afternoon—because it’s the part of the day when the sun shines brightly through this window and highlights how dirty the window is—with all the cobwebs, etc. I guess this is one case where I love darkness rather than light—because my deeds are not cleaning deeds. But I promise you, some day I’m going to clean that there window—yessery—I sure am—absolutely—I’m going to do it—some day. Question: Can a person still go to heaven when he allows dirty windows? Can a person still be an adequately disciplined disciple when he lacks the discipline to clean his studio window?

I spent the better part of the day at the controls of the sawmill—cutting up a bunch of cedar logs for a big deck repair project. I’m working like an ailing old man—because I am one. I guess I did something unkind to my back and it’s yelling at me.

Have a good night. I hope I do too.

Love, Dad/Ray.

I think most of us enjoy watching some of the Summer Olympics when they are on. They offer a chance to behold a display of maximized human discipline pressing the physical limits of human strength, training, and endurance. I rate gymnastics as one of my favorite events (even though I can’t even do a hand stand any more) because I judge that it comes about the closest to epitomizing the skillful mastery of one’s body. I’m also reflecting on the times we lived in the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu where the World Cup soccer tournament was a very big deal. It actually caused many government offices and local businesses to be weakened due to the volume of workers taking time off (whether approved or not) to watch the coverage of the games via satellite television. All this is an example of how obsessed people all over the world can become with athletic competition. It must have been the same in Paul’s day—less the satellite technology, of course. So he gives a very meaningful illustration when he likens the victorious Christian life to athletic excellence.

Without attempting a lot of commentary, I think I will just quote here the last paragraph of this chapter.

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly, I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

I would only request that you join me in asking a couple simple questions arising from this paragraph. I hope you will recognize that they are pertinent questions relative to effective discipleship. (1) To what degree am I engaged in strict training? (2) To what degree do I rule my body? (—or does my body, along with my feelings, rule me?)

“…only one gets the prize.” Consistent with Paul’s illustration, I think it’s valid to say that ONLY ONE KIND OF PERSON SUCCEEDS AT ATTAINING THE ETERNAL BLESSINGS OF HEAVEN—DISCIPLES. And disciples in the application made here are disciplined people with A HEART AFTER GOD.