Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, dear people.

We had a great evening last night with friends coming for a meal. We ate on our creekside deck. Old friends, retired Africa missionaries Hermie and Vi Englegau, informed us recently that their great nephew is pastor at a church in Colton near where we live, and asked if we knew him. Sure we do—Tim Behrens. So, along with the Englegaus, we invited Tim and family to join us last evening. Good time of food and fellowship. And the kids had a great time on the swings, playing in the creek, and throwing a fall for Dandy.

It’s not even noon yet—but I’m already hot and feel a pull toward my old man nap. I’d better get on with some other form of work that doesn’t allow me to go nodding off. Maybe one reason I feel a bit more spent is that I made myself spend some time on my exercise machine (Total Gym) following our earlier walk/jog so as to apply some stress to my upper body. Some of the heavy awkward chainsaw work I did the other day made me sense that I’m lacking in that part of my anatomy and don’t want to totally ignore those signs or pass it off as simply evidence of old age—even if it is. Besides that I want to resist saying, “I’ll take a double cheeseburger, large order of fries, a big-gulp Coke, and a banana split”—and still expect to thrive in my physically-demanding workplace. On the other hand, I don’t want to be so rigid as to never let me do a little binge one in a while. Do I hear a little “amen” out there in cyber space?

How did you get me to talk that way? Anyway, have a great day doing what life and your faith require.

Love, Dad/Ray.

Wow! There’s some powerful material here. I sure don’t have to get far into this reading before getting pumped with inspiration!

I happened to hear David Jeremiah make a thought-provoking statement on the radio recently while I was driving. He said something like this: “One of the biggest difficulties I’ve faced in helping people become saved is to first get them lost.” The point is that no one is going to understand the importance of SALVATION if they fail to recognize their desperate condition of LOSTNESS.

Let’s review the facts that are heavy upon us. Firstly, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23)—SINNERS, CONDEMNED—including you and me. In that condition we are all under God’s WRATH. And His WRATH is bigger and more absolute than any puny opposition from any of us. Paul describes it this way in Ephesians 2:1—“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins…” But now, right here in this short reading, we are presented with one of the most incredible, mind-boggling, and glorious statements contained in Biblical revelation—beyond what the mortal brain could ever process—verse 8: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: (I want to capitalize the text in the rest of the verse…because it is of capital importance!) WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US.” If that fails to move you, I think you need to see your doctor and be checked out. I think we may very well need eternity to get this amazing reality figured out.

Don’t miss the options we all face in relation to this Sovereign God: It’s either WRATH or PEACE. To help confirm the idea, I want to quote verses 1 and 2 together: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have PEACE with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. (Read again 1 Corinthians 15:1-2) And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” Verse 9 contains the wonderful phrase that we are “saved from God’s WRATH.”

How much time do you need to contemplate your answer to this question: Which do you choose?—WRATH or PEACE?