"In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood."
~Hebrews 12:4~
No kidding.
I sometimes think I have hardly broken a sweat.
This is just a shortish blog I wanted to write to acknowledge a lesson (at least partially) learned today.
Listen. The writer to the Hebrews uses this passage (that the previous verse is lifted from) to encourage his readers to persevere in the midst of hardship and affliction. Consider Jesus, he says, who endured so much before receiving his prize, that you yourselves will not 'grow weary and lose heart'.
"Hang in there!" basically.
And then he flips everything on it's head.
This hardship you are facing, the hardship that you may be tempted to view as evidence of God's abandonment?
Listen. The writer to the Hebrews uses this passage (that the previous verse is lifted from) to encourage his readers to persevere in the midst of hardship and affliction. Consider Jesus, he says, who endured so much before receiving his prize, that you yourselves will not 'grow weary and lose heart'.
"Hang in there!" basically.
And then he flips everything on it's head.
This hardship you are facing, the hardship that you may be tempted to view as evidence of God's abandonment?
Nah.
That is a sign of his love for you! Endure it as a discipline, because we all know that a loving Father disciplines his children, and that is what this is. A discipline. that is why you are being allowed to go through this. Because he LOVES you.
Yeah. Sure.
For starters, the culture in which this understanding of loving discipline is assumed, is far from one I recognise in my own life.
I have received loving discipline from my parents. Of course I have. But my parents were children of their generation, and the mostly permissive liberal society in which I have lived my life, had an affect on the kind of discipline I received. And it's consistency.
When we think of discipline, we are tempted to think of punishment. But punishment is only a small tool in the tool box of discipline. Discipline is training. It shares roots with the word 'disciple'. There is always a purpose to it. It is an evidence of God's love because he wants to equip us to be able to face whatever will come our way, and to grow up into righteousness.
In lyrics that pay a direct reference to Psalm 24, "Love rescue me" a song written and sung by Bob Dylan and Bono, we hear the words,
Yeah. Sure.
For starters, the culture in which this understanding of loving discipline is assumed, is far from one I recognise in my own life.
I have received loving discipline from my parents. Of course I have. But my parents were children of their generation, and the mostly permissive liberal society in which I have lived my life, had an affect on the kind of discipline I received. And it's consistency.
When we think of discipline, we are tempted to think of punishment. But punishment is only a small tool in the tool box of discipline. Discipline is training. It shares roots with the word 'disciple'. There is always a purpose to it. It is an evidence of God's love because he wants to equip us to be able to face whatever will come our way, and to grow up into righteousness.
In lyrics that pay a direct reference to Psalm 24, "Love rescue me" a song written and sung by Bob Dylan and Bono, we hear the words,
"I have cursed Thy rod and staff,
They No longer comfort me,
Love rescue me"
And I get it. I really do. It's a heart cry for mercy. It is a soul pleading for comfort of an altogether more tender kind.
But I can't help but be drawn to this idea that it is based on a misconception. That is okay because the song does not attempt to teach theology but to convey an emotion. But David understands, as a Shepherd himself, that these instruments of correction are really the tools of protection, that these tools of remedy are also tools of rescue.
I have heard Jewish people joking about how being the chosen people, they wish God would have chosen someone else. And we can kind of understand why. If discipline is the expression of love, sometimes we wish he would go and love someone else.
He doesn't let us off easy, that's for sure.
But he cares enough to keep working on us.
This daily crucifixion stuff is really tough. Seriously tough.But ,as the writer reminds the Hebrews, 'You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.'
That may not be true of some, but it is certainly true of me.
Today God allowed me to face some of the consequences of my own sinful impatience.
Today God allowed me to face some of the consequences of my own sinful impatience.
Yeah. I got caught speeding.
It may cost me more money than I can afford.
But it is a lesson I cannot afford not to learn.
This costly lesson, is far less expensive than my not learning it.
Some years ago He drew my very specific attention to some verses in Galatians, where he told me not to sow to the sinful nature, but rather to sow to the Spirit.
Those who sow to the sinful nature, as I had done today, will reap from that nature destruction. Destruction of my finances, in this case.
But it is a lesson I cannot afford not to learn.
This costly lesson, is far less expensive than my not learning it.
Some years ago He drew my very specific attention to some verses in Galatians, where he told me not to sow to the sinful nature, but rather to sow to the Spirit.
Those who sow to the sinful nature, as I had done today, will reap from that nature destruction. Destruction of my finances, in this case.
And he reminded me, that what he wanted for me was to sow to the Spirit.
It is not a reluctant act of restraint that is to take the place of my intended sin.
It is not a reluctant act of restraint that is to take the place of my intended sin.
And it is not bottled up fuming resentment.
I do not merely acquiesce to do 'The right thing'.
I do not merely acquiesce to do 'The right thing'.
No. I am to Sow to the Spirit.
That is an act of worship, love and devotion.
What greater thing can there be than to sow to the Holy spirit of loving Father God?
What at first seems like an act of sacrifice, becomes and act of loving worshipful devotion to the one who loves me to the uttermost.
This kind of discipline is invaluable.
And from it, we reap everlasting life!
And more than that, the writer to the Hebrews tell us, that although No discipline is pleasant initially, for those who have been trained by it....well, they produce a harvest of righteousness and peace.
Yeah. God disciplines those he loves.
In the end I was rejoicing over this discipline, and in his love expressed to me in it. And it is painful. I can't afford the money, and I feel naturally angry towards myself for my stupidity. But I am pleased that it happened, if I can truly learn this lesson.
That is an act of worship, love and devotion.
What greater thing can there be than to sow to the Holy spirit of loving Father God?
What at first seems like an act of sacrifice, becomes and act of loving worshipful devotion to the one who loves me to the uttermost.
This kind of discipline is invaluable.
And from it, we reap everlasting life!
And more than that, the writer to the Hebrews tell us, that although No discipline is pleasant initially, for those who have been trained by it....well, they produce a harvest of righteousness and peace.
Yeah. God disciplines those he loves.
In the end I was rejoicing over this discipline, and in his love expressed to me in it. And it is painful. I can't afford the money, and I feel naturally angry towards myself for my stupidity. But I am pleased that it happened, if I can truly learn this lesson.
I will joyfully sow to the spirit.
And I will patiently await my harvest.
Thy rod and thy staff,
They comfort me still.
And I will patiently await my harvest.
Thy rod and thy staff,
They comfort me still.
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