When you experience the love of God nothing else can compare to it. When you experience the lavish forgiveness that He bestows upon you nothing else in all the world can bring such a dramatic transformation to a heart and sing to a lost soul. No matter how many times I have turned my back on God, no matter how many times I have rejected Him by an act of faithlessness, or a deliberate and willful sin, He continues to provide me with His love, His grace, and His mercy. He wants to extend that same love to you today my friend.
I have been struggling with a temptation of my own that has had me falling back into the sin cycle of confess, repent, accept forgiveness, sin again. In my willfulness to still want what I want and even to take the Lords grace for granted for some inclination towards worldly pleasure, He has had to discipline me but only as a loving parent will do for their children. For without the correct discipline a child will go astray and act out in rebellion that will cause them more harm in the long run. Notice that I use the word “correct” here because I don’t want my words to be taken out of context. There is such a thing as discipline that is offered out of love and our just Father is the most gracious and just of them all even in His discipline to His little ones.
God Disciplines His Children
4 “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”
7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 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.” (Hebrews 12:4-11)
Every discipline from the Lord is meant to teach us a lesson, just as every act of His grace, mercy, and blessed gift of forgiveness allows us to rest more in His love and find our ultimate satisfaction in Him. This morning after falling into the shameful sin again I came to the Father with heavy shoulders and a heart in sorrow for my transgression. Instead of finding a judgmental God, I found a compassionate and loving friend. Trembling in my tears I heard a song playing in my heart called “You lift me up.” by Dea. This song always leaves me in tears of wonder, peace, and joy. I accepted the Lords call feeling more like an impostor than a child of God, listened to the song, and felt an overwhelming sense of His peace and love falling graciously upon me. In my shame I turned away from this offer of love but He didn’t draw back His extension of love to me. His love just kept right on coming until it was so beautiful to me that I couldn’t hold my acceptance of it back any longer. When I accepted His love I heard the whisper of my soul speak His words to me,
“Treat my people like this.”
Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12) so I knew that these words aligned with scripture and I could trust in the words that I heard. When God disciplines you run to Him with confidence, and when He offers His love accept it, for it is the greatest gift of all leading you to extend His love to others. If you haven’t accepted Christs love for you I invite you to do it now, if you are struggling with some sin perhaps even one you had thought you had won the victory over, don’t be afraid of the Lord for He is there to extend His mercy and grant you forgiveness. No matter where you are in your walk of faith our good Lord is right there ready and waiting for you to draw near to Him with confidence (Hebrews 4:16). Trust in Him. There is a lesson of love just waiting there for you to receive it so that you can extend it; one prayer, one minute, one loving moment of radiance to a heart in this world starving for love. Dare to choose to accept it. After all who in this world couldn’t use a dose of unfailing love?
Let’s rejoice together:
Lord Your blessing and Your leading are granted and accepted. I choose this day who I will serve in this moment. I lay down every grudge and unforgiving thought in the dark recesses of my soul, and every sin that trips me up. I let each one of them go. Your people are Yours and not mine as they always have been since the beginning of time. I choose to love them as You do. Thank You for breaking each one of my chains with Your offering of love. Thank You for showing me Your love and that how You love me is how You love them, so in turn I can love without hesitation as You do. Amen.