Monday, June 25, 2007
Hebrews 12:6-12
For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”
It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, (ESV)
by Paula Davis
Discipline is not a word that anyone likes used in a sentence with their name! Whether we discipline our children or we are disciplined by our Lord, the experience is never pleasant at the time. Think back to one of the times when the Lord disciplined you and how your life changed as a result of the discipline. Did you mature and grow through the experience or become bitter and stubborn—refusing to learn the lesson the Lord wanted to teach you? Although it is rarely easy, we should welcome discipline when it comes from the Lord, knowing that we will be more like him after each growing experience.
Copyright Information
Daily Bible Meditations are taken from The Helping Hand,a Sabbath School student quarterly for youth and adults. Copyright © 2008, Seventh Day Baptist Board of Christian Education, Inc.
Scripture quotations marked "ESV" are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Text provided by the Crossway Bibles Web Service .
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