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I have
sweet memories of my father who was a man of principle and we
respected him in every sense. There was no compromise if we did
any thing wrong that was not right for godly children to do.
What my father did was that he will explain what was expected
from us, the consequences of doing it otherwise and how it
displeases God, allowing enough time for us to repent, before
chastening us. His end goal was to produce in us, love and
respect to God and others, by teaching us to do what is pleasing
to God. Why we loved him more was that even after the
chastening, he loved us. Even when my father chasten us, we
respected him, since we know hat he chasten us for our good.
How much more then, when our heavenly father does it for a
reason far excels any earthly purpose, that we may yield the
peaceable fruit of righteousness.
“We
have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave
them reverence; shall we not much rather be in subjection unto
the father of spirits and live?” (Heb: 12:9)
It is
written “If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as
with sons; for what sons is he, whom the father chasteneth not?”
(Hebrew 12:7). Chastening is a proof of son ship “Thou
shalt also consider in thy heart that, as a man chasteneth his
son so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee.” (Deuteronomy 8:5)
Chastening means nurture, instruction, which aims at increasing
the virtue, chastening the evils, correcting the mistakes and
curbing passions. Chastisement is the bringing of pain to our
children to bring them to compliance from the heart. For
obtaining these goals, we have to have an intimate relationship
with our heavenly father who exercises both his authority and
love. Chastisement is a proof of Father’s love. “My son,
despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his
correction; for whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a
father the son in whom he delighteth”. (Proverb 3: 11&1)
We can
see why is it necessary for us to be chastened by God. “But
when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord, what we should
not be condemned with the world”. (1cor 11:32). The chastening
of the lord frees us from the condition with the world. It
makes us part takers of His holiness.
Even
though Lord’s chastening may not be joyous for the present, in
the long term it would help us to develop endurance to run and
win the race that is set before us. To help us in this regard
God uses chastening. “Now no chastening for the present seemeth
to be joyous, but grievous: never the less afterward it yieldeth
the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are
exercised thereby”. (Heb: 12:11)
If we
perfectly knew that is right and wrong in the eyes of God should
we not walk in the right way? “Whoso loveth instruction loveth
knowledge” (Proberb: 12:1). The heavenly Father further exhorts
us to hear instruction. “Hear instruction, and be wise, and
refuse it not” (Proverb: 8:33) some may not hear instruction.
“A wise son heareth his father’s instruction; but a scorner
heareth not rebuke” (Proverb: 13:1) Correction is grievous to
some. God warns them. “Correction is grievous unto him that
forsaketh the way, and he hat hateth reproof shall die.”
(Proverb: 15:10). On the other hand happy is the man God
correcteth. “Behold happy is the man whom God correcteth:
therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty” (Job:
5:17)
As
many as I love, I rebuke the chasten: be zealous therefore, and
repent”. (Revelation 3:19) Understanding how the Lord might use
hardships even persecutions to chasten us, will help us to
intensify our endurance. Chastening of the Lord are in two
ways, it may be in the instructive form or in the corrective
form. Instructive chastening may be in the form of teaching or
persecution. Lord chastens through His works as in the case of
La-odice’ans. Some times it may be in the form of tribulation
as in the case of Job. But it was not because Job needed
correction but God thought that it would make him better.
Another way that the Lord chastens is by allowing persecution.
Early Christians were persecuted not because they were wicked,
but God allowed it, knowing that it would make them stronger.
When instructive chastening is not heeded, then corrective
chastening is used. We see that failure to heed God’s word,
brought judgment upon Juda. God made repeated efforts by the
providential working of God to bring Israel back to God. Even
today our good Lord uses the same providence to chastise us, to
turn back to God, if we have gone astray. But if we heed to the
‘Word of God’ we can avoid the corrective chastisement. Are we
really thankful to God for His chastisement? |
