2016 picture of Ray Sparre

Insightful Musings on theScriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67


April 8, 2016

Good day, dear people.

She’s another Springtime beauty out there. I think it’s supposed to hit 80 degrees today. Suddenly it’s summer.

So far today, the work list has not become any shorter. I better keep moving in the direction of crossing off some tasks.

Blessings on your day.

Love, Dad/Ray.

08 April 2016
Psalms 99 / Proverbs 8
Focus: "Then I was the craftsman at his side, I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind.” Proverbs 8:30-31.

Wisdom is represented here as a female personage—speaking and describing her origin and background and all the fun she had alongside the Sovereign Creator surrounding the creation of the universe—with “mankind” being the focal masterpiece. Since you and I are members of “mankind,” it is both exhilarating and humbling to reckon ourselves as having so much potential for being among the Creator’s most valued pieces.

The word grabbing my attention in this description is “delight” (and “delighting”). Notice that, in this case, DELIGHT seems to flow out of a combination of HIS PRESENCE and CREATIVITY as demonstrations of WISDOM. Hmmm. I wonder. Could there be something here worth developing?—a kind of recipe for doing life well? To be sure, doing life well has to be a lot better than just doing life. I’m reasoning that the quality of DELIGHT makes a large part of the difference.

I have observed in myself that when CREATIVITY is exercised to successfully solve a problem, create an effective tool, design an attractive sign layout, take apart a challenging tree, cut up a big gnarly log, or compose a balanced thought-provoking paragraph, I have the most fun. When the requirements of a job are too rigid and confining so as to restrict the flow of creative juices, the work can fast become NOT FUN, boring, even oppressive. I notice the same tendencies in others. At the same time, I have some reason to worry about us—that we may be depriving ourselves of a significant measure of resulting DELIGHT because we are so content to live below our created CREATIVE potential. Does that make any sense? So, perhaps this would be a place to encourage some fresh CREATIVE pursuits.

I think I will leave it right there and let you ponder these thoughts. Above all else, let us…

“Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his footstool; he is holy.”
~ Psalm 99:5, 9 ~