Job 5:17
Consider this: How blessed is the man whom God corrects! Do not reject the discipline of the Almighty!
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for this reminder through Job and for disciplining us when needed. From our earthly perspective, we know that when a child does something dangerous like playing with fire, walking too close to a steep drop-off, or saying something inappropriate. A parent is responsible for correcting the child even though they will get upset.
When someone is disciplined, it is never fun for either the person doing the correction or the one receiving it. However, when done out of love, it is meant to keep our little children safe and away from even greater dangers.
When you discipline us, it is for our safety, even though we often complain like spoiled little children because we don’t like what we are enduring in those moments. However, if we were left alone in our sin with no discipline, we would be playing with fire—the fire of hell—and without your correction, we would jump off the cliff of unbelief, rejecting you and your love for us. Not to mention how our mouths would run amuck, saying harmful, loveless things about you and those around us. So you protect us from ourselves.
So, while we may not like your discipline, we thank you for your love and mercy. That you correct us and turn us away from those dangers, and Lord, please forgive us for all the ways we have tested you and challenged your loving discipline for us. We know that what you do is not punishment for our sins because you are a just God and have already punished your Son for our sins when Jesus went to the cross for us. Isaiah wrote, “He was crushed for the guilt our sins deserved,” Through Jesus, you restored us by punishing him in our place. Amen.
Written through Pastor Roger Emmons
God corrects you out of his love for you; his will is for all people to know him and be united with him in heaven. What a loving God that he does what he needs to do to keep you from an even greater destruction—hell—and being eternally separated from Him.