Gentle Discipline
Never think that God is unreachable for the Bible declares in Jeremiah 29:12-14 "You will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. And I will be found by you, says the Lord..."
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Out of parental concern and a desire to teach our young son responsibility, we require him to phone home when he arrives at his friend's house a few blocks away. He began to forget, however as he grew more confident in his ability to get there without disaster befalling him. The first time he forgot, I called to be sure he had arrived. We told him the next time it happened, he would have to come home.
A few days later, however, the telephone again lay silent, and I knew if he was going to learn he would have to be punished. But I did not want to punish him! I went to the telephone, regretting that his great time would have to be spoiled by his lack of contact with his father.
As I dialed, I prayed for wisdom. "Treat him like I treat you," the Lord seemed to say. With that, as the telephone rang one time, I hung up. A few seconds later the phone rang, and it was my son.
"I'm here, Dad!"
"What took you so long to call?" I asked.
"We started playing and I forgot. But Dad, I heard the phone ring once and I remembered."
"I'm glad you remembered," I said. "Have fun."
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How often do we think of God as One who waits to punish us when we step out of line? I wonder how often he rings just once, hoping we will phone home.
We can know the Lord intimately and be in tune with what His will is for our life, but it will take an investment of prayer, fasting, reading God's Word and the discipline to live a holy life before the Lord.
"It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?" – Hebrew 12:7.
Blessed Day!
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Out of parental concern and a desire to teach our young son responsibility, we require him to phone home when he arrives at his friend's house a few blocks away. He began to forget, however as he grew more confident in his ability to get there without disaster befalling him. The first time he forgot, I called to be sure he had arrived. We told him the next time it happened, he would have to come home.
A few days later, however, the telephone again lay silent, and I knew if he was going to learn he would have to be punished. But I did not want to punish him! I went to the telephone, regretting that his great time would have to be spoiled by his lack of contact with his father.
As I dialed, I prayed for wisdom. "Treat him like I treat you," the Lord seemed to say. With that, as the telephone rang one time, I hung up. A few seconds later the phone rang, and it was my son.
"I'm here, Dad!"
"What took you so long to call?" I asked.
"We started playing and I forgot. But Dad, I heard the phone ring once and I remembered."
"I'm glad you remembered," I said. "Have fun."
+++
How often do we think of God as One who waits to punish us when we step out of line? I wonder how often he rings just once, hoping we will phone home.
We can know the Lord intimately and be in tune with what His will is for our life, but it will take an investment of prayer, fasting, reading God's Word and the discipline to live a holy life before the Lord.
"It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?" – Hebrew 12:7.
Blessed Day!
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