“Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.”

In this verse, we find a profound reminder of God's paternal relationship with His people, emphasising the importance of understanding the nature of divine discipline. As Moses gives this instruction, he underscores a crucial principle: just as a father corrects his son for his growth and understanding, so too God disciplines His people.  This discipline serves a dual purpose - to train and to humble, guiding them towards obedience and a deeper awareness of their dependence on Him.

This reminder is timely for the Israelites as they transition from the wilderness to the Promised Land, where the temptations of prosperity might lead them to forget their dependence on God. The admonition in the passage encourages believers today to recognise that divine discipline is ultimately rooted in love, reflecting a desire for their spiritual maturity and adherence to God’s commandments.

In our lives today, we can sometimes feel that God is punishing us.  We ask ‘why me’ or think something is unjust because we don’t think it’s deserved by ourselves or someone else. At those times do we remember to ask ‘What is God teaching me through this?’ For some people their experience of discipline has been unduly harsh, abusive or even perverse, and for that prayer and healing is first required before this word from God can be a truth.  As a servant of Christ, I know that anything I suffer will never come close to what He suffered. We all have to bear Gods discipline, in whatever form it may come. Just as the Israelites of the Old Testament did, we must accept and be sure that God is our Father in heaven and as such he will guide and admonish us as He needs to. 

Ultimately this verse conveys the essence that true growth often requires guidance and correction, shaping the hearts of the faithful to align with God's will.  The discipline is an expression of His love.

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Application: 

How do you receive discipline? Some may rebel, some may be full of remorse. Whichever response you make, make it in the certain knowledge that God’s discipline is motivated by love and seeks only to make you a better person in His sight.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I submit to your discipline and seek to learn whatever you are trying to teach me when I am disciplined. Thank you that you love me more than anything or anyone else ever could. I’m so glad that I am your child and you are my Father. Amen.