embrace the rebuke.

hebrews 12.9
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 our spirits and live!!
i like that this verse shows me that submission to God = LIFE!
because i can relate to the opposite of that statement: rebellion from God = DEATH.
most of my life has been a slippery slope down to death's doorstep...there is so much power in rebellion.


hebrews 12.10
our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but god disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.
a few weeks ago, i thought about this--about how discipline is often very intensive in the first decade of life for practical, developmental reasons. Then it is very intensive in the second decade of life for social and moral reasons (somethingi'm learning trying to parent a 15-year-old!). but the point is, the first 18+ years of our life are spent under the natural authority instituted by God of a child under a parent/s, teachers, coaches, bosses, etc (as i type this i realize how lucky those of us actually are who had anything that remotely resembled god's intended design for family growing up). authority is as natural a part of the structure of life as food or shelter.

so, why do some of us despise it, distrust it, or rebel? how have we (i) overlooked for so long the God-ordained place of rebuke, discipline, correction, leadership, submission?

i thought the other day that discipline from god was like this...it was intense for a few years, then it kinda died down. but i realize now, as long as we "do our own thing" and make our own rules, that's how long God has to discipline us. he has to. it's for our best. a boss or parent or life in general would have to do the same if we just ran up credit cards, smoked drugs, killed people...in essence, broke the natural rules or order of society. some things just are what they are.

and so, my point is "embrace the rebuke", because it's a SIGN OF LIFE AND LOVE.
amen.

and follow god's rules so you are rebuked less often :)

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