Merciful Discipline

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 30:1-2, Now it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire, 2 and had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to great; they did not kill anyone, but carried them away and went their way.

The time is drawing near for Saul to meet his demise. God’s plan to place David as king of Israel is one day closer. However, David is still in a backslidden state. In order to get David’s attention, the Lord has to allow some harsh consequences as a way of disciplining David. Note how merciful God is in his correction. Although He allows the Amalekites to carry away David’s and the rest of his men’s families, none of them are killed. This was much more gracious than David was when he invaded the Amalekite cities. The discipline he experienced was not without pain. Did God want to hurt David? Of course He did not. Nonetheless, if David was going to be where God needed him to be in order for the Lord to use Him as He had already determined, discipline would be necessary. So it is with us that sometimes the Lord needs to take us out to the spiritual woodshed and teach us some painful, yet profitable, lessons. How do we respond to God when He chooses discipline as a way of getting our attention? Proverbs 3:11-12 reads, “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction; 12 For whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights.” Hebrews 12:6 repeats this truth, but continues in verse 7-11 to say, “If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Which one of us, reading this right now, can honestly say that we have never been disciplined by God? I would be willing to bet that not one of us could make that claim. I know that there have been times in my life personally when I did not like the form of discipline God chose, but when prayerfully considering His choice and method, I knew that nothing else would have gotten my attention. The one thing that we can be thankful for, as children of God, is that God is merciful in what He chooses, when He has to discipline us. His discipline is not an act of hatred or punishment, but an act of love. It is an act of love meant to bring about blessings. Job 5:17-18 clearly states, “Behold, blessed is the man whom God corrects; therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. 18 For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole.” Considering what David really deserved, based on his behavior, God was far more merciful and gracious than he deserved. I can honestly say that all the times I have needed a spiritual spanking, as much as I did not like the methods or consequences, God was always far better to me than I deserved. I am sure that many of you can also say the same thing. Before we get upset with God for those times He has to discipline us as His children, remember that He loves us, and because He loves us, He will not allow us to continue down a path that is leading us further and further away from Him. He never leaves us nor forsakes us (Hebrews 13:5), and His merciful discipline is far better than what each of us really deserves.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).