The empty people, they wanted nothing more; they chafed at bonds because they were not mature enough for discipline, the kind of discipline one gives himself. He had seen too many of them, sad, misguided people, railing at institutions and ideas they were too juvenile to accept. The important things in life called for maturity, for responsibility. Too many fled from it, wanting to be back in childhood when somebody else coped with the problems.”
–Louis L’Amour (Where the Long Grass Blows)
“Harsh discipline is for him who forsakes the way, and he who hates correction will die.”
“Harsh discipline is for him who forsakes the way, and he who hates correction will die.”
–Proverbs 15:10(NKJV)
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There is a difference between discipline and punishment. Punishment has no thought of instruction or reconstruction; whereas discipline seeks to teach a lesson. If there is a transgression against a parent or the rules of the household there must be discipline. In the same manner if there is rebellion, iniquity, and sin, there must be discipline to a child. One difference we see in Psalm 89 is that God is disciplining His children; however, in the last judgment He is disciplining those not of the household of faith.
29 — His seed also I will make to endure forever, and His throne as the days of heaven.
30 — If his sons forsake My law and do not walk in My judgments,
31 — If they break My statutes and do not keep My commandments,
32 — Then I will punish their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.
33 — Nevertheless My lovingkindness I will not utterly take from him, nor allow my faithfulness to fail.
34 — My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips.
35 — Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David:
36 — His seed shall endure forever like the moon, even like the faithful witness in the sky. Selah (NKJV)
When I read these verses immediately the words of that grand hymn come to my mind. “Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father, There is no shadow of turning with Thee…” (T.O. Chisholm) God’s people might become faithless–but God is faithful. In spite of our rebellion, our errors in life, the sins we commit, God is faithful and He is determined to accomplish His plan and will for us.
Sometimes it is hard for a parent to discipline their child. The old saying, “this will hurt me more than you,” is more true than the levity often given to the statement. Think of the pain of the Father as the sins of the world came upon His Son. His Son, who was sent by the Father to die in our place. The Father could not look upon sin, so He turned His back causing Jesus to cry out, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?”
To be disciplined shows the love of a parent. Mind you, I said discipline, not punishment. Punishment can make rebellion worse, punishment without lovingkindness provokes a child, however, a child without discipline is one who is not loved. Meditate and contemplate the words of Hebrews 12:6-8:
“And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: ‘My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.’ If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.” (NKJV)
Whenever discipline comes, and let me say that the discipline must fit the crime, is from the lovingkindness of the heavenly Father. Verse 33 from the New Living Translation states, “But I will never stop loving him, nor let my promise to him fail.” WOW! In the midst of our rebellion and subsequent disciplining we have the assurance that God still loves us and will be faithful to His promises to us. Great is His faithfulness to do what is necessary to keep us within the household of faith.
“When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.”
–John Newton
—————————–
There is a difference between discipline and punishment. Punishment has no thought of instruction or reconstruction; whereas discipline seeks to teach a lesson. If there is a transgression against a parent or the rules of the household there must be discipline. In the same manner if there is rebellion, iniquity, and sin, there must be discipline to a child. One difference we see in Psalm 89 is that God is disciplining His children; however, in the last judgment He is disciplining those not of the household of faith.
29 — His seed also I will make to endure forever, and His throne as the days of heaven.
30 — If his sons forsake My law and do not walk in My judgments,
31 — If they break My statutes and do not keep My commandments,
32 — Then I will punish their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.
33 — Nevertheless My lovingkindness I will not utterly take from him, nor allow my faithfulness to fail.
34 — My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips.
35 — Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David:
36 — His seed shall endure forever like the moon, even like the faithful witness in the sky. Selah (NKJV)
When I read these verses immediately the words of that grand hymn come to my mind. “Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father, There is no shadow of turning with Thee…” (T.O. Chisholm) God’s people might become faithless–but God is faithful. In spite of our rebellion, our errors in life, the sins we commit, God is faithful and He is determined to accomplish His plan and will for us.
Sometimes it is hard for a parent to discipline their child. The old saying, “this will hurt me more than you,” is more true than the levity often given to the statement. Think of the pain of the Father as the sins of the world came upon His Son. His Son, who was sent by the Father to die in our place. The Father could not look upon sin, so He turned His back causing Jesus to cry out, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?”
To be disciplined shows the love of a parent. Mind you, I said discipline, not punishment. Punishment can make rebellion worse, punishment without lovingkindness provokes a child, however, a child without discipline is one who is not loved. Meditate and contemplate the words of Hebrews 12:6-8:
“And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: ‘My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.’ If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.” (NKJV)
Whenever discipline comes, and let me say that the discipline must fit the crime, is from the lovingkindness of the heavenly Father. Verse 33 from the New Living Translation states, “But I will never stop loving him, nor let my promise to him fail.” WOW! In the midst of our rebellion and subsequent disciplining we have the assurance that God still loves us and will be faithful to His promises to us. Great is His faithfulness to do what is necessary to keep us within the household of faith.
“When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.”
–John Newton