As you know, I am studying the book of Hebrews in my personal Bible study time and currently I am in chapter 12. One morning this week, I ran across a couple of quotes that I thought were definitely worth posting for you to ponder.
The verse that is being discussed is Hebrews 12: 5b which says, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord.” In the MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Hebrews, John MacArthur discusses how we sometimes take the discipline of the Lord lightly, which I had never considered.
The first quote is from MacArthur and he says, “It is usually because we take our problems too seriously that we take the Lord’s discipline too lightly. Our focus is on the experience rather than on our heavenly Father and on what He wants to do for us through the experience.”
Hmmm, that is certainly true of me. During those times when I felt the Lord was disciplining me, I may have focused more on the experience than on what He was trying to accomplish by allowing that experience in my life.
MacArthur goes on to quote Arthur Pink who says, ” Remind yourself of how much dross there is yet among the gold and view the corruption of your own heart and marvel that God has not smitten you more severely. Form the habit of heeding His taps, and you will be less likely to receive His raps.”
I thought that one was pretty darn good. I need to heed God’s taps so that I don’t have to endure His raps. That one will preach!!!
Have a blessed weekend!!
