June 27
Scripture: Heb 12:8
Source author: Karl Cumberland
June 27
Discipline With a Purpose If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. —Hebrews 12:8
In some situations, it seems like it’s just one problem after another,” my friend Brian told me as we sat sipping coffee in his office. “Some days I just want to scream. And you know— the problems get bigger and worse. When I first started this business, they were little things. Now? Sheesh!” “Did you ever think that God might be disciplining you?” “I’ve done something wrong?” “Not necessarily,” I said. “Discipline doesn’t just mean punishment. It could be that you are in God’s training program. Out there in the future are some things that may be so big you’d run the opposite direction if you knew about them now. But He’s disciplining you, training you, sending you the smaller things so you’ll be ready when you get the really big things.” “You’re kidding,” he replied. “No, that’s how God works. Study the life of Jesus. See how God did it with Him. He didn’t face the cross the first day. He was in the process of being prepared.”
God disciplines us because He loves us, not just when we do wrong, but to prepare us for the days ahead. — Karl Cumberland —