The Discipline of the Lord

Ever have those "gulp moments" during bible study? You know those times when you'd rather skip over a passage because you'd rather read something "good" or "uplifting". I had that moment in my reading of Hebrews 12:5-11 this morning. I have a hard time stomaching verses about trials and discipline and I fear their coming. It reminds of times I had growing up, i would do some idiot thing and get spanked for it. I fear that the Lord's discipline will feel a lot like that: a cringing . . . before the blow. It's funny, I seem to get into my mind that I can be exempt from discipline and trial because I think of God as the kind of father who loves us so much that he is out to give us an easy life. But this view of God runs contradictory to the view of God in scripture.

Scripture says that if we are not disciplined we are illegitimate children. While we must never doubt that God's out for our good that he delights to shower us with blessings he has something grander in mind. Our sanctification. He does love us, but he loves us too much to leave us as we are. So, when your car breaks down, or you suffer some illness or things get taken from you unexpectedly, what should our response be? Surprise? Outrage? This passage teaches us that submission to the will of God is the correct attitude to have because God has a purpose for the pain: He does not arbitrarily bring these things into our life but they are proof that he is at work to grow us. For those of us who are adopted into his family, God is the true and better father who is all wise and perfect and desires us to share in his holiness and "yield the perfect fruit of righteousness."



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