Discipline
(S) Scripture
For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness.
All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
Hebrews 12:10-11 (NASB77)
(O) Observation
The writer is comparing the discipline of our earthly and Heavenly fathers. Our parents do what seems right to them but God disciplines with a purpose. God disciplines us to make us holy. Now that is quite a thought.
(A) Application
Parents do what they think is right but don't always get it right. Some discipline out of frustration and anger with very little love involved. Others may have the best interest of the child in mind. I am reminded of the discipline I received after running into the street. That discipline taught me that the pain of the discipline was not worth running into the street for. That discipline was used to teach me and to keep me safe. I was not able to reason it through and so my parents used what I understood, discipline. God always has my best in mind. He never disciplines to get even or to alienate but always with the purpose of holiness. The discipline is not always pleasant but when received with a faithful heart it will lead to holy living. Today I do not want to run away from God's discipline; I want to embrace it and learn from it and to let it lead me to holy living that brings peace and righteousness to my life.
(P) Prayer
Lord, make me into the person you created me to be. Chip off the rough spots and make form me into your design for me. Work in my life today. Amen
1 comment:
"Discipline" is often seen as the repercussion for doing something wrong, evil or sinful. Thus, this passage is seen as getting something you deserve. However, it's important to note that in the background of the book, this audience was getting "disciplined" and they may not have been disobedient toward God. Their lives were on the line because of their faith. The discipline in this context refers not to being disciplined like a child who has done something wrong (though I realize that the parent and child image is the analogy being painted in the text), but perhaps discipline as the shaping and transforming of one's faith that can come through any experience in life that may be painful or hurtful. I realize the text in vs. 4 refers to "struggle against sin" but it doesn't necessarily say that they had sinned, only that they struggled in dealing with sin. Or to put it another way, God isn't beating them up becaues they did something wrong, but he is permitting them to go through pain, misery, hurt and more as they struggle against the powers of sin that are harrassing their lives; and in that, they are being shaped (disciplined) to reflect the nature of JEsus. Or to put it another way, just as a parent doesn't jump in and rescue the child every time the child faces a struggle causes by sin in the world, neither does God jump in and remove the suffering or pain from the believer. In this way, we are being "disciplined." Just a thought for whatever it's worth.....the bud. (You probably must be thinking, "bud" needs to get a life! :) )
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