Insightful Musings on the Scripturesby
Ray Sparre, NU class of '67
Ray has a wealth of experience as a Husband, Father, Pastor, Missionary, and student of the Word. He believes and practices his faith where the rubber meets the road. You'll find his writings to be practical, insightful, and grounded in a truly Christ-centered world view.
Below are links to a printable daily Bible reading guide which Ray has followed, and an archive of all his daily devotional writings for 2010 and 2011.
| Sparre Home Page | Daily Reading Guide | 2011 Devotion Archives | 2010 Devotion Archives |
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6 May 11
Hello, dear ones.
Little bit of rain out there. But not enough to hassle our outside work too much.
I’ve just taken custody of an old crane truck and used it last night for the first time to remove a tree from a precarious place. It allows fitting a man-basket on the end of the boom which the man in the basket can operate with remote controls from there. I was the man in the basket…maxing it out, to begin with, at about 50 feet. Pretty neat old machine.
More fun slated for today. Blessings on your coming and going and doing today.
Love, Dad/Ray
6 May 2011
Psalm 5
Focus: “Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.” Psalm 5:1-2.
David was an incredible guy! Wouldn’t it be great if we could stop in at a Bible Book Store and pick up a CD of David singing his Psalms with his own accompaniment? Are you as amazed as I am with his voluminous writing abilities, his grasp of God, and how in the world he came to achieve all this without a computer, a spiral notebook, or even a ball-point pen?!—and without attending a seminary to study and refine his theological views?! And, as I heard someone say long ago, “David sure didn’t have any lace on his underwear!” That is, while demonstrating his HEART AFTER GOD, he was definitely no sissy! The attitude of some arrogant macho guys I’ve been around is that “Church and all this seeking God stuff is only for little kids and old ladies!—definitely not for me!—I’m too big and tough for that!” Well—we’ll see, won’t we.
When the LORD called to young Samuel in the night, he finally responded, “Speak, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10). But David is now turning that around and virtually saying, “Listen, for your servant is speaking.” So, which is the right approach? I will suggest that BOTH are proper IF they are expressions of an authentic HEART AFTER GOD. The potential flaw of the first approach is to not truly be a servant in heart and soul—one who only feigns that status. The potential flaw of the second is an attitude of self-importance—the notion that GOD IS THERE FOR ME rather than that I AM HERE FOR GOD.
I know we’re all wired different. I’ve heard some people declare, “I don’t do mornings!” In other words they are what we call a “night person”—most alert, active and creative at night and very slow to get up to speed in the morning. I’m the other way—a “morning person”—with a battery fully charged in the morning, that grows weaker over time and use, till flat by evening. I take it that David was more of a “morning person.” Listen to verse 3: “In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.” But whatever your particular wiring and preferences, please nurture A HEART AFTER GOD—may the LORD HEAR YOUR VOICE—whether morning or midday or evening—or how about all the time?!
“No man who is selfish, cynical, and superficial on his feet will ever be a saint on his knees.”