My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.
Discipline is considered onerous, irritating, and unnecessary. The lazy and sinful parts of us want no boundaries, even if they are good. We resist any guardrails to our behavior because we do not wish to receive any direction that might conflict with what we want to do. But the Lord disciplines out of love to bless us. It is a sign of his delight in us. Why? Because he is not content to leave us unchanged, unmotivated, and disinterested in what real life is. He does not want to see us deceived, misled, or captured by the evil one's lying ways. He wants to move us closer to our goal: Jesus, and our eternal destiny with our Lord!
My Prayer...
I confess, Righteous Father, that I don't like discipline. However, Father, deep down, I know that your discipline is for my spiritual good and eternal blessing. Please help me better understand and use the situations in my life that you use to discipline me, so that I can become more like Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.
"A meeting with the elders was called [after the soldiers told them Jesus' tomb was empty], and they decided to give the soldiers a large bribe. They....."
"The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let the one who hears say, "Come!" Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of....."
"So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of his own blood. So let us go out to him, outside the camp,....."
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