The Good Rod

 

And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” Hebrews 12:5-6 ESV

            Have we forgotten the exhortation? Have we forgotten the principle behind it? I am quite sure we have at some point. The discipline of God is difficult for us, because it very often involves taking from us the crutch, we had been trusting in to hobble along and keep upright. These comfort God snatches away sending us floundering, until at last we founder upon the shifting sands, or upon the solid rock. It is the latter which God desires for our good and His glory. He disciplines only to bring us to Himself. Why? Because that is where we are meant to be, fully, completely, totally, entirely, and absolutely relying upon Him alone. I used that string of near synonyms and synonyms to drive home the point, the single point it feels I am always driving, we cannot live outside of God. Not really, not profitably, not enjoyably, not productively, not meaningfully, not any true or worthy sense of living.  

            Well, that much I forget all the time, and so I beat this dead horse with zeal for I know I am not alone in this weakness of mind, and ambivalence of heart. It is killing me, and you, and many others besides. So, when God sends pain into life, when He allows the Devil to attack us, it is not the cruel rod of an unfeeling and harsh master against the back of some ill-used slave; but the caring hand of correction calling us to what is good, so that God might receive all the glory He is due. The rod is not there to shame us into retreat till we have served our penance, but an invitation of grace to come back from woeful wanderings.

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