Training Not Punishment Jim Stephens 07-15-14 Reading: Isaiah 22-24; Hebrews 12 Scripture: 5 So dont feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children? My dear child, dont shrug off Gods discipline, but dont be crushed by it either. 6 Its the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects. 7 God is educating you; thats why you must never drop out. Hes treating you as dear children. This trouble youre in isnt punishment; its training, 8 the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? (Hebrews 12:5-8 MSG) Responsible, caring parents want to develop responsible, caring children. The way to develop responsibility in children is through discipline and training. One problem with this, both in the attitude children have toward parents and the attitude Christians have toward Father God, is that we mistake training - discipline - for punishment. Punishment is past-oriented. Punishment inflicts pain or exacts payment for wrongs done. Its only benefit is that, just as a child who burns her hand on a hot stove learns not to touch the stove, we learn that doing wrong hurts. And, just like the child who is burned by the stove, we may carry the scars of the punishment. Training is future-oriented. Training moves us from wriggling helplessly in the crib, to crawling on the floor, to walking across the room, to sure-footedly running the race of life. Training places resistance against our weak muscles to develop strong muscles. Our teachers assign problems that require us to use our limited knowledge to gain new knowledge, and that require us to apply what we already know to challenges we havent yet faced. Training takes us from comfortable passivity to tiring and painful challenge, and we grow strong, confident, and capable in the process. Lifes often-painful challenges are not the petty punishments of an angry God, but the careful training of a loving, caring Father. Prayer: Father, Please help me embrace your discipline and training. Dont stop just because I whine and complain! Im learning not to think of training as punishment! I long to grow into the mature relationship you want to have with me. I know Ive made progress, but theres still a long way to go. I want to keep growing. Amen.
Posted on: Tue, 15 Jul 2014 22:29:17 +0000