My previous post dealt with what the Lord has been speaking to me about from my study of Hebrews and in particular the 12th chapter of Hebrews. Here is the part that has me thinking:
“Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
In the previous post I talked about discipline from God in a big picture sort of way. Today I want to narrow it down to a very personal level.
“God disciplines us for our good.” I don’t know about you but when I am going through a discipline spell from God it doesn’t feel ‘good’ to me. I just want to stomp my feet like a three year old and cry, “Stop”. “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.” Well AMEN and YES!!
What I think is important for us to remember is that the discipline is being allowed by our Abba who loves us more than we can ever imagine. That is so hard to get our arms around when the hurt is so very intense. The phrase ‘it hurts me more than it hurts you’ is one that many of you have used with your children and it definitely applies here. It does hurt the heart of God to have to discipline you and me, even when He knows it is for our good.
The ultimate discipline, however, hurt God more than we will ever know. So much so that He turned away. Because of my sin and your sin, someone had to be disciplined. God knew that all the discipline in the world placed on humans would never be enough to restore the relationship that we had with Him prior to sin entering the world. So, Jesus, the Lamb of God, the One slain from before the foundation of the world, stepped up and said, “I’ll take Leah’s discipline so that she doesn’t have to endure it.” And take it He did. In all its ugliness, aloneness and brutality, Jesus took the punishment that I deeply deserved.
So, as we celebrate the birth of Jesus this week, please never forget that the shadow of a cross fell across that manger in Bethlehem thousands of years ago. Jesus was born to die for you and for me!
Merry Christmas!!
