It's You Again God

39. God's Faithful Love

It's You again God,

I've often thought that I would love to have an open fire in my home or at least a slow combustion fire. Last night, having the pleasure of relaxing in front of the latter in someone else's home, I started planning where I would place one in my own home! The only drawback of the whole plan was that it seems an awful lot more dangerous for small children compared to just using air conditioning to heat the house! My mind quickly began thinking of ways to keep a toddler from coming to harm because obviously there might be a time when my eyes are not on them and children are so prone to pushing the boundaries!

This is where loving discipline would come in! Even the most compliant child is not perfect but requires training and discipline. A stranger wouldn't willingly invest time doing this —only someone who loves the child would lay everything aside to ensure their child goes in the right direction.

Sometimes I acknowledge that I am like a child needing to be guided away from potentially dangerous situations. I am so thankful for Your faithful love and for the way that You have watched over me all my life, like a loving parent who just wants the best for their child. Clearly, discipline is the mark of Your deep, deep love for me:

"And have you forgotten his encouraging words spoken to you as his children? He said, "My child, don't underestimate the value of the discipline and training of the Lord God, or get depressed when he has to correct you. For the Lord's training of your life is the evidence of his faithful love. And when he draws you to himself, it proves you are his delightful child." Fully embrace God's correction as part of your training, for he is doing what any loving father does for his children. For who has ever heard of a child who never had to be corrected? We all should welcome God's discipline as the validation of authentic sonship. For if we have never once endured his correction it only proves we are strangers and not sons. And isn't it true that we respect our earthly fathers even though they corrected and disciplined us? Then we should demonstrate an even greater respect for God, our spiritual Father, as we submit to his life-giving discipline. Our parents corrected us for the short time of our childhood as it seemed good to them. But God corrects us throughout our lives for our own good, giving us an invitation to share his holiness. Now all discipline seems to be more pain than pleasure at the time, yet later it will produce a transformation of character, bringing a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who yield to it."
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:5-11‬ ‭TPT‬‬

This topic is one I have never liked to think about. Perhaps in my pride I like to think I am doing better than I actually am, that somehow I am actually perfect! However, all of Your Word is important and I need to read and understand this passage too!

I acknowledge that yes You see me as cleansed from all my sins through Jesus' blood, but there are obviously areas of my character that still need refining. Lord I am so thankful that You have not given up on me! I am grateful that You keep on moulding me all the days of my life so I can become more and more like You!

Thank You Jesus for bearing all my sins in Your body and taking the punishment for me. I am so grateful that I can live my life without fear of eternal separation from the Father. Thank You for Your Spirit who lives inside of me and guides me. Let me be more and more aware of Your guiding voice each moment of the day so I may be transformed for Your glory and know Your peace. May I remember Your Word and read it often so it will be a light that guides my feet in the journey ahead.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen.