Insightful Musings on theScriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Hello, dear one...

...on a beautiful Spring morning. No jog this morning, but I’ve spent some time outside with Thano’s boys, Kaden and Nicholas. I even made them whistles from fresh branches of a cotton wood tree. I’ve recently learned that that specie is good for carving springtime slip-bark whistles. And because the boys are here, we are kind of obligated to go along to Thano’s church—just to help oversee them. It’s kind of like overseeing Thano in overseeing his boys.

Jesus said that every day has enough trouble of its own. But may the inspiration of His Word be in adequate measure to overcome the measure of trouble that may come your way today.

Love, Dad/Ray.

Both passages give attention to the essential action of choice. Here the objects are “the way of truth” and “your (God’s) laws.” The Proverbs account describes those who fail to exercise their freedom of choice correctly so as to glean the desired results: “Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes” (Proverbs 1:29-31). That says to me that my gifting of volitional choice is not just a personal freedom, but a sacred responsibility. So here’s the deal: While I am free to choose my course and conduct, I am not free to choose the results of my choices. I cannot choose foolish behavior and then choose good results. It’s just simple math. That’s exactly what Paul puts forth in Galatians 6:7-8—“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting” (KJV).