Week 3: God's Discipline

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows: 

• Sunday: Genesis 28:1-29:35; Matthew 9:18-38; Psalm 11:1-7; Proverbs 3:11-12
• Monday: Genesis 30:1-31:16; Matthew 10:1-23; Psalm 12:1-8; Proverbs 3:13-15
• Tuesday: Genesis 31:17-32:12; Matthew 10:24-11:6; Psalm 13:1-6; Proverbs 3:16-18
• Wednesday: Genesis 32:13-34:31; Matthew 11:7-30; Psalm 14:1-7; Proverbs 3:19-20
• Thursday: Genesis 35:1-36:43; Matthew 12:1-21; Psalm 15:1-5; Proverbs 3:21-26
• Friday: Genesis 37:1-38:30; Matthew 12:22-45; Psalm 16:1-11; Proverbs 3:27-32
• Saturday: Genesis 39:1-41:16; Matthew 12:46-13:23; Psalm 17:1-15; Proverbs 3:33-35

Our S.O.A.P. this week is from the book of Proverbs:

Scripture: Proverbs 3:11, 12
"My child, don’t reject the Lord's discipline,
and don't be upset when he corrects you.
For the Lord corrects those he loves,
just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights."

Observation:
This is a scary passage! I find myself at once drawn to this; at once recoiling. I don't want to be disciplined. I want to live above reproach so that discipline is not necessary. Perhaps, however, even those who keep themselves unspotted from the world need God's discipline – maybe even more so than those whose bad choices turn out to be punishment enough!

After all, even Jesus, the author of our salvation, was "made perfect" through the things he suffered. "Even though Jesus was God's Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered' (Hebrews 5:8). The Father made "Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation" (Hebrews 2:10). If Jesus did not escape the Father's discipline, how can I think I will ever be exempt?

Application:
I want to be able to recognize the Father's discipline when it comes, so that I don't have to face the harsher punishments reserved for the hardheaded. I want to remain soft clay in the Father's hands so that when he attempts to form me, I won’t resist and crumble. I want the Father's discipline to be sweet medicine.

Once when I was very young, 3 or 4 years old, my sister, Colleen, and I rebelled against our Aunt Rosemary, who was watching us for the day. We were disrespectful and mischievous. At one point, we took the backyard hose, filled up the Radio Flyer wagon with water, stripped naked and took a bath. When Aunt Rosemary reported our behavior to Mom, we each took our turn over her lap to get a strong spanking on our rear ends. Mom didn't pull her slaps. They hurt! But I'll never forget what I did right afterwards: Even though I was sobbing, I wrapped my arms around her neck, kissed her on the cheek, and said, 'I love you Mommy!'

Prayer:
O Lord, I pray that I have a willing, submissive spirit when I encounter your discipline. I have no idea what forms your acts of correction will take going forward, but I pray that I can easily recognize them as expressions of your love, and that I will immediately turn to you and embrace you, saying, "I love you, Abba!" I pray in Jesus' name.  Amen!

Have a great week!

Faithfully,
Chuck