Friday July 22, 2011

This is a rushed morning as Carter is going to Young Life Camp this morning and I am headed to Flagstaff where it is cooler. I began to read the Proverbs and there is a wealth of advice and wisdom. One of the first passages that popped out to me says, “My son, do not despise the lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.” (Proverbs 3:11-12 NIV). I know what it feels like to be disciplined by my earthly father. I do remember a couple of times when he spanked me and I vividly remember how he handled my fascination with fire and matches. He caught me lighting a fire behind a neighbors barn and luckily the barn didn’t catch fire. When my dad found out, he took me into the kitchen and proceeded to have me light match after match and hold it until I couldn’t hold it any more. It did the trick because I never played with matches again. I’m not necessarily supporting the way he went about teaching me the lesson, but he was trying to discipline me the best he knew how.

What I have been wrestling about is how the Lord disciplines us. I would like comments from you who have read this far as to how you have experienced discipline from the Lord. He doesn’t spank us. He doesn’t ground us. My question is how the Lord disciplines us. I have been pondering that question and would like some input from you. I will come back to this again, but I have to wake up Carter now and get on the road.

Sometimes the journey has questions that takes time to answer.