Raymond P. Sparre Northwest University class of '67
These devotional messages are personalized as messages to Ray's granddaughter, Samara.
02 February 2017
Hi, Mara.
Since I failed to finish up the devo below yesterday morning, I’m sticking it on now—with hopes that I’ll be following up with another before the day is out.
Hope you had a good REAL birthday yesterday…as we jumped the gun by having your little party on Sunday so as to accommodate busy schedules.
I ran off yesterday and did something very unusual. I drove my pickup 4 hours north to an old friend’s place in Poulsbo, Washington. I had four fresh trailer wheels aboard to fit onto a trailer bearing a 24 foot boat that this friend is turning over to my care and keeping. I towed it home just fine, arriving about 9:30pm. I’m sure you will get in on an outing with that boat before this summer comes to an end. Maybe I can stick on a photo the next time I message you.
Have a good day.
Love, Tua.
Proverbs 1 Focus: “But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you—“ Proverbs 1:24-26.
Yesterday we made mention of the wise “Proverbs 31 Woman” laughing at the future. And here we have Ms. Wisdom herself laughing at those who, after all her efforts to help, advise, and guide them, basically gives up on them to let them learn the great lessons of life by means of their own stupid rebellion. She even mocks them by letting them have their own way, implying, “OK, right!—if you think you’re so smart, let’s see what you can do!” That really is a picture of how God chooses to treat those who refuse to seek Him when they can and should—those who treat Him and His rules as worthless nonsense—at least not very important—those who arrogantly think they can handle their lives and destinies just fine on their own.
As evidence of this, let’s take time to cite again what I think is one of scariest and most mind-boggling passages of the Bible—even though it’s a bit lengthy. I’m choosing to do so in The Message translation just to submit that familiar passage to a little different filter.
