Topic: The Blessings of God’s Rod [Saturday December 5, 2015]
Text: Hebrews 12:5-13
Key Verse: “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby” (Hebrews 12:11).
We can share the insight of one time English writer and deacon, Abraham Wright that, “We may feel God’s hand as a Father upon us when He strikes us as well as when He strokes us.” No earthly father can love his children as God loves His own.
God so loves His children that He spares no gainful measure that will keep them on the right path in life. One of those measures is the application of His rod of correction. Today’s text succinctly addresses the matter and makes it clear that blessings abound in God’s rod of correction. Chastisement is an inevitable reality in the life of every true child of God. This is because we all have the tendency to stray. Every caring and prudent parent knows the importance of child discipline. A child left to himself, without any restraining hand, will not fare better than a bastard. God knows us more than we know ourselves. In His infinite wisdom, He may allow some sort of affliction or ugly experience to come our way to drive us right back into the circle of His perfect will. Usually, such experiences are not pleasant, but it can be comforting to discern that God intends them for our good. We can make the most of them because they always yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness. Verse 5 shows us two extremes which we must avoid when we are under divine chastisement. One is to despise the chastening by making light of the experience and being insensitive to it as not to make the chastening effectual.
The other extreme is to get so miserably discouraged as to defeat the essence of the discipline. The first thing is to discern that the suffering or trial confronting us is God’s rod. If it is, it should be borne with faith and patience. It does not matter how or through what agency God’s discipline comes to us – peculiar circumstances, challenging experiences, sanctions from church leadership, etc. – it all comes from God’s heart of love and it is for our good.
Thought for the day: Only cherished plants need pruning; weeds grow freely but are meant to be cut and burnt.
Bible Reading in one Year: Isaiah 13-17
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
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