"Have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as His child? Do not make light of THE LORD'S DISCIPLINE, and do not give up when He corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes each one He accepts as His child!"
Do you discipline your children? Do you love your children? Why do good parents teach, instruct and discipline their children? When your parents disciplined you did you interpret that correction as hatred or a lack of love on their part? Children do not stop loving their parents when they are disciplined for they know that it is for their protection and edification. Parents acts are meant to save their children from harm and even to save their lives. Many forms of discipline are really acts of encouragement and love intended to teach responsibility and to correct a wrong course into a right one. You have a Father and His name is God. He is like your earthly parents in that He encourages you with His Word and He disciplines you because He Loves you. He has a right to punish you if you do wrong for you correction and benefit.
We must never forget the Divine Word of God and we should welcome and encourage discipline on ourselves and our children. God always has a good reason to address us and teach us and instruct us. Do not reject this discipline or act with scorn or fail to submit to His correction. If we do not heed the correction we are choosing the wrong path and will have to have further discipline. Do not give up or lose courage when you are reproved or corrected because it is proof that God Loves You. The Lord disciplines the ones He Loves!
The Lord's desire is that everyone open the door to their heart and invite Him in to dwell with them. The Lord welcomes all to His heart and makes them His child. He accepts the role as our Father and because He cares about us He will discipline us. He scourges or punishes every child who deserves it. Any good parent would do the same. Lack of discipline is Lack of Love. If you care about someone you want to teach and protect them. If you are a child of God you know that He loves you, now and for eternity. Do not make light of His discipline and when it occurs in your life, stop and listen and learn the lesson He is teaching you. We should invite and encourage THE LORD'S DISCIPLINE!
