Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Greetings, hopefully nice people.

Yesterday was another irregular. I didn’t get this off. My present plan is to send this for yesterday now, and then another for today. Anyway, on Saturday I had a call from my brother up near Yakima who announced that they had peaches dripping off several trees. Since it’s been so long since our last visit, and since we never did make up for our failed attempt to visit them in July and take them to dinner as a celebration of Louis’ 75th birthday, we decided to lay aside our normal Gospel Sing engagement and Pheasant Pointe and do a one-day round trip drive to Sunnyside, Washington. Lot’s of driving. Good trip. And lots of peaches.

Maybe I’ll comment on a big billboard message we saw at The Dalles. It said, “IF YOU DIE TONIGHT, WHERE WOULD YOU GO? HEAVEN OR HELL?” As we drove along, I raised this question with Becki, “How effective do you judge that message to be in drawing unbelievers to the salvation God offers? Is there anything attracting in that question toward the love of Christ and the Biblical Gospel?” Her response was about the same as mine. Maybe that’s one good reason why we still live together. We agreed that that message would not be our preferred approach—mainly because as we try to process it through the filter of an unenlightened unregenerate mindset, we think it would more likely repel us rather than attract us. What do you think? Anyway, rather than just criticize the good intentions of whoever sponsored that billboard, I’ll put forth an idea for a billboard message that I think could be more effective: “RISK-FREE PRAYER: ‘GOD, IF YOU ARE REALLY THERE AND YOU HAVE STUFF FOR ME TO SEE THAT I DON’T SEE, I SINCERELY INVITE YOU TO TURN ON MY LIGHTS.’” That may be too lengthy. But I base that approach on a premise that I believe in: GOD IS BIG ENOUGH TO RESPOND TO THE HONEST SEEKING SIGNAL OF ANY HUMAN HEART—AND ADEQUATELY MEET THAT PERSON WHERE THEY ARE—AND SET THEM ON A COURSE THAT LEADS THEM INTO CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.

Hey, that’s really a good homework assignment: If you were called upon to create a highway billboard for the purpose of attracting people to the Biblical Gospel, what would you like it to say?

I better keep moving. Blessings on your day.

Love, Dad/Ray.

Please don’t be duped by the notion that you can read this passage between verses 9 and 13, then go out and successfully do what it says on your own, by yourself, with just the determination and effort of your own human will. It ain’t gonna happen! And to prove this point, TRY IT! The fact remains that ONLY ONE PERSON IN ALL THE UNIVERSE CAN TRULY LIVE OUT THE CHRISTIAN LIFE—CHRIST HIMSELF. AND THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN IS IN AND THROUGH HIM!

My own experience certainly bears this out. Being the human being that I am, and left to my own resources, my spiritual zeal tends to be a “yo-yo”—up and down, rise and fall—influenced and dictated by my environment, circumstances, other attractions, and weariness. But Paul here promotes a do-able standard that has nothing to do with such factors. It has everything to do with the conditional requirement of Romans 12:1-2 and Galatians 2:20. (Be sure you are familiar with these vital New Testament concepts.)

• NEVER BE LACKING IN ZEAL. We are called here to excitement and enthusiasm—indeed passion. That requires a serious maintenance program that continually replenishes that which is continually depleted. It involves regular intake and exercise in the WORD OF TRUTH (2 Timothy 2:15).
• KEEP YOUR SPIRITUAL FERVOR. You can only keep something you have, and have the power to keep. God knows you CAN keep your spiritual fervor IF you want to, and IF you do so on His terms—by His standard—which is “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).
• SERVING THE LORD. Here, in simple concise form, is the PURPOSE OF YOUR VERY EXISTENCE! If we are not serving Him, we are automatically serving something or someone very inferior. If Biblical revelation is TRUTH, that’s just the way it is! We are presented with only those two basic options.

“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. SERVE THE LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing” (Psalm 100:1-2, KJV).