God’s Loving Discipline

King Zedekiah of Judah had sent a couple of men to ask Jeremiah to intercede for him. They said, “Inquire now of the Lord for us because Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is attacking us. Perhaps the Lord will perform wonders for us as in times past so that he will withdraw from us.” (Jeremiah 21:2) God spoke through Jeremiah, saying, “I Myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm in anger and fury and great wrath.” (Jeremiah 21:5) That wasn’t the response these men expected!

Earlier, God said He was compassionate and slow to anger, but His response to Zedekiah’s entreaty does not sound like a patient and loving God, but Judah had a history of committing spiritual adultery against Him. They had short periods of revival, but like an alcoholic goes back to his booze, they would return to their idols instead of returning to God. In America, we’ve seen this pattern: when the Twin Towers were attacked, churches were full. But as time passed, people went back to their standard conduct, leaving God out of their lives.

I don’t know when it was that God’s patience had run out, but His love never did. When God disciplines His people, it’s because of His love. That’s why both testaments tell us, “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; Hebrews 12:5-6)

We don’t enjoy God’s discipline, just as we never enjoyed getting paddled when we were younger. But it’s one of God’s tools to keep us in line. “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” (Hebrews 12:11-12, 14–15)

In light of God’s discipline, we are told to do four things:

• STRENGTHEN: Not necessarily get a gym membership, but in a spiritual sense, don’t allow flabbiness and atrophy to be the norm of your Christian life. You want to keep your relationship with God growing and up-to-date. There’s always more to learn. “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18)
• PEACEMAKERS: Rather than being instigators of trouble between people, we are to do what we can to heal relationships. We need to refrain from taking sides and from gossiping. “Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.” (Proverbs 26:20) Be careful what you say on social media, too.
• HOLINESS: As God’s children, holiness should characterize the followers of Jesus. “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.” (Ephesians 5:3)
• BITTERNESS: Bitterness, like yeast, can affect an entire congregation. “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.” (Ephesians 4:31)

God is always loving. Even when He disciplines His children and punishes the lost, love does not abandon Him. His heart breaks when the lost die in their sins because He “wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4)

Whatever trials Christians face, they are NOT an indication that God has stopped loving them. If you are a Jesus-follower, “I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)

The greatest demonstration of God’s love for us is seen in the crucifixion of Jesus. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) That is God’s loving promise to you. Why perish when you can have new life through Jesus? Accept Him today.

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