Insightful Musings on theScriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Greetings, dear ones.

The day is spent. I was able to stuff a lot into it…including some work with an old friend, Charlie Peterson. He drove down today from Seattle. We plan to pop in at the Oregon Logging Conference in Eugene tomorrow morning for a few hours.

I can tell that my head needs a pillow. Good night.

Love, Dad/Ray.

It’s interesting to read the heading for this psalm—particularly the part where it says, “To the tune of ‘A Dove on Distant Oaks’.” When we take into account all the bad stuff happening to David during this period, I have to wonder why he didn’t sing it to the tune of “A Vulture on Very Close Snags.” Smile.

Our own current events are becoming as dangerous and ominous as those surrounding David. So the FOCUS VERSES are also just as meaningful and valuable for us. The ending question is one we must all answer personally—“What can mortal man do to me?” I guess there are a lot of things mortal men can do to me. And the hand writing on the wall does not present a pretty picture of what mortal men might do to me. Things are developing fast in the direction of a Biblical Tribulation that could cause me to be blown up, shot, or have my head chopped off. Of course, I would much prefer to be caught up in a rapture beforehand, but I won’t hold my breath—I’m forced to trust my Sovereign and take things as they come. The point implied in that question is that mortal man can do nothing to me of any eternal significance if I am living close to and trusting in my Savior and Lord. After all, Jesus instructs us, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28-29).

We can’t avoid some of this bad news coming our way. But a solid diet of bad news can wear us down. Let’s make sure we compensate with good news. Truly good news is invigorating, refreshing, and encouraging. That’s the idea presented in Proverbs 25:25—“Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.” In the margin of my Bible next to that verse I wrote, “HEAVEN—HOPE—HALELUIA!” How would we fare without that good news?