Insightful Musings on theScriptures
by
Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67
Good day, dear ones.
The wind was not as good and stable as we had hope at the coast, but we finally came into some decent wind. Andy had a good time sailing that kayak (Hobie Adventure Island)—until he returned to his car to find a ticket on his windshield for $110! That’s just dumb! Their silly parking rules on that beach are particularly dumb when the rules are not posted. Hope he can explain his way out of it.
Thano and I went prepared to sleep in the back of the truck, then do some fishing this morning and hurry home so Thano could go to work at 12:30pm. But since the information I gathered there was that the Coho salmon were very seldom being caught, we decided to simply drive home last night. I dropped into bed after midnight. Sure takes a lot of effort to have fun. Didn’t even climb out of bed till after 8am—and Becki and I didn’t do our walk/jog till after 10am. Now I’m still undecided on how to handle the rest of this day. I may take on changing out the water heater in Thano’s living quarters. I hope I can get a little bit of specialty sawmill work done too.
Blessings on you and yours.
Love, Dad/Ray.
Four times in two verses David asks the question, “How long?” We who, like David, are hemmed in by the limitations and less-than-heaven features of this fallen world have a tendency to ask that question often—and rightly so. How long will I have to spend in prison if I am caught? How long do I have to go to school to get that degree? How long will I have to pay on this mortgage before I own this property? How long will our married love last? How long can I put up with this neighbor? How long will it take to recover from this injury? How long do I expect to live?
It occurs to me that David is nudging up against the subtle recipe for depression—the kind that can potentially build and develop to the point of ending one’s life. When a person is trapped in unbecoming circumstances of physical suffering or emotional misery, and they can find no other answer to the HOW LONG question other than NO END IN SIGHT, they will likely be tempted by the notion that their non-existence would be more bearable than their existence.
David was obviously bummed and heading in that direction as he begins to compose this psalm. But his commendable form of psycho-spiritual management rescued himself from that hopeless course. He clearly got a hold on himself and self-administered what I believe to be the most effective form of turn-around therapy available to man—“But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me” (Psalm 13:5-6). Bingo! Can you come up with a better course of action?—a better stabilizing solution?—a better use of the human will?
and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He holds victory in store for the upright,
he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
for he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones.”