Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Greetings, good people.

It’s been a crazy day. I had hoped to get a lot more done than I did—but I did manage to follow through with a little idea I generated for taking advantage of the weather pattern on the mountain. Yup—I laid almost everything else aside and ran up to Timberline where I put in a couple hours at that ski area—first time this season. This is the first year I can ski free—due to my old man status. Just for the fun of it, I’ll stick on a photo I took the majestic winter beauty at a point when the clouds blew apart to reveal that big beautiful mountain—Mt. Hood. I notice that the focus isn’t great.

I also followed through with updating the recipient list. So—if you don’t receive this I guess you’re no longer on the list. (Smile.)

Becki, Thano, and the two little boys will be home soon. They ran off to look at Christmas lights in a lit up neighborhood.

Have a good night.

Love, Dad/Ray.

I was physically born March 27, 1944. I was there—but I had absolutely nothing to do with it insofar as planning the event and making it a happen. So how can I claim ownership for my existence?—insisting that this is MY life, MY plan, and MY stuff, etc? What do I have that was not given me? My parentage, my gender, my aptitudes, my composition, my functions, my parts, and my very life—it’s really quite humbling. I think it’s supposed to be. It’s easy to see where attitudes go when they vacate humility. Even my own parents cannot claim ownership in the technical sense—as though they put together a specific plan, made selections from a catalog, and ordered all the specific parts to fabricate a specific and unique Raymond. They were more into themselves (by design)—and bingo!—there I was. I wonder if they were humbled too—as much as I am as a husband and father—to behold the marvel of the whole gamut of human life, gender attractions, and procreation. The point is that none of us can claim technical ownership or credit for any of it!

What is true of my physical birth and existence is also true of my spiritual birth and existence—commonly called SALVATION, and commonly given the possessive pronouns of MY, or OUR, or THEIR. But none of us can claim absolute ownership or credit for any of it. Even the exercise of our ability to choose is from Him. All we can do is own the choices. And own we must.

In today’s reading we are presented with a numberless multitude around the Throne—those who have been SAVED and have remained faithful during the great tribulation period. Their song is significant. Notice that it is not a song that praises God for THEIR SALVATION, as though it was a product that they owned, but they sang, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” I reason that they were seeing the entire scope of things with greater clarity than we are presently allowed.

If, however, you and I will think clearly and carefully about what we are given to know, and ascribe credit where credit is due, our engagement in thanksgiving, praising, and singing to the Almighty will be, I believe, the spontaneous and compulsive result. Taking it all in, we cannot NOT praise!