Do you love correction?

One of the challenges when preaching is realizing you can't preach the whole Bible every Sunday. As ministers, we must choose a topic(as led by God's Spirit) and then focus on that particular area. Over time, we cover a breadth of issues that are all woven together and yet on any particular Sunday, you only get that one sermon.

One of the areas I don't have time to get into on Sunday is the discipline of the Lord. I still remember as a child those moments when I knew that I was going to be punished and be spanked by my parents. I can still see my mom at the kitchen counter taking that glass of water just before administering the punishment - don't know if it was to calm her down or if she believed the glass of water gave her some superpower of spanking :). But that discipline has proved effective in my moral character as an adult.

But, let's be honest - most of us don't like the idea of being chastened/disciplined by God.

However, look at these words.

Hebrews 12:5-11 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives." If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

God's great primary concern for us is not our happiness, but our holiness; not our comfort but our character. In His great love, He is determined to bring us to that condition, and He uses many differing means to that end.

Food for thought, sometimes the trial and tribulation is the actual discipline of the Lord intended to refine us or draw us closer to Him.

Pastor Rich