A Father’s gift
A Father’s gift
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? . . . 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. Hebrews 12:7,10
Making music can be fun. But there were days when it was something less than pleasant. I didn’t escape the piano bench that day, and I’m thankful. Discipline brings to children great blessing in the end.
Not all children sit on piano benches. But all who pass through childhood recall parental discipline. The use of discipline appropriately applied is a rich gift from God, given to children through parents.
Is God done disciplining you yet?
While you no longer may be a child under the authority of your parents, you remain very much a child in the kingdom of your heavenly Father. A Father who loves his child disciplines him.
But what does discipline from the Father look like?
As the book of Hebrews reminds us, our Father’s discipline can even be connected to occasions when Christians have honored God in their actions.
God forgives our sins
When considering a particular action, we often choose between imagined pleasure and possible pain. Will I surrender to temptation and have more earthly fun, or will I struggle against sin and risk a very hard life? Will I keep my mouth shut and remain popular with my friends, or will I humbly point out sin and risk ridicule?
Our flesh longs for the easy life. We first can love temporary pleasures and only later the treasure that is true. So often we don’t honor our Father. We forfeit obedience because the price might include pain. What shame we bear before our Father. Frightened children might expect the relationship to be over.
Yet our Father didn’t walk away. Instead, he gave his Son to be the target for the just punishment all deserved. Our Father stretches out his arms in loving forgiveness. The heart of a child leaps for joy. He wants to hug him, follow him, serve him.
And so you, a Christian, choose by the Spirit’s power to do right. Like those addressed in Hebrew 12, you struggle against sin, not giving in.
God disciplines us for our good
Then suddenly you discover that such obedience can bring rejection, weariness, even tears. Your enthusiasm dampens. You consider how easy it would be to give up on obedience and give in to sin.
Yes, rejection and weariness and tears are hard. But see what God is doing in such pain. He is working blessing. He uses this suffering as discipline. While such suffering may flow from the actions of the wicked, he will use the hurt for your good. His discipline will produce in you a harvest of righteousness and peace. He promises that you will be better off for it.
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