[God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons] (Heb. 12:7, 8).
The Lord God in heaven is our real Father who has begotten us and gives us all good things in heaven and earth because we are His loving and proud children. Parents on earth frequently counsel and advise their children, sometimes punishing them with a rod although they are fine enough to receive respect and praise from neighbors, so that they may become finer and nobler figures of society. Likewise, our loving merciful Father often counsels and reproves us, sometimes even using a rod of love so that He may make us into more perfect, holy and honorable children of His. He knows each one's mind and personality better than anyone does. He is especially familiar with all the strengths and weaknesses of our physical being as well as our characteristic traits, and while He praises and cultivates our good traits, He uses various means to remove the evil traits, giving admonitions, reproofs, and even chastening with a rod. What a deep concern and thorough care He bestows upon us! He is not a foster or step-father to us. He is not a father merely in written form or legal document, who is not concerned about our prosperity and adversity, or welfare and calamity. He is our real Father who has begotten us through His Creator's womb. He has not only borne us Himself but also delivered us from death by paying the infinite price, sacrifice, and agony when we had been ready to die, captured in the pit of the enemy. So priceless and precious as we are in His sight, how can He become indifferent to us that we should go astray? No, never. Rather, He says, [I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. if he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. But My mercy shall not depart from Him...] (2 Sam. 7:14, 15).
[If His sons forsake My law and do not walk in My judgment ...break My statutes and do not keep My commandments, then I will visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless My loving kindness I will not utterly take from him, nor allow My faithfulness to fail] (Ps. 89:30-33).
Solomon also says, [My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord nor detest His correction; for whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights] (Pro. 3:11, 12).
Moses also says, [So you should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the Lord your God chastens you. Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him] [(so) that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end] (Deut. 8:5, 6, 16).
The Scripture says, [Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. For He bruises but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole.] [As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him] (Job 5:17, Ps. 103:13). Paul also says, [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? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, the we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but grievous; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it] (Heb. 12:9-11).
The Holy Spirit says, [My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, or be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons] (Heb. 12:5-8). Therefore [heed the rod and the One who appointed it] (Micah 6:9 NIV). And [the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the Lord binds up the bruise of His people and heals the stoke of their wound] (Isa. 30:26).
Dear brothers and sisters!
Our Father permits trials in order that we may be cleansed from earthliness, from selfishness, from harsh, unchristlike traits in our character. He allows the deep waters of affliction to go over our souls in order that we may know Him and Jesus Christ whom He has sent, in order that we may have the sincere longing to be cleansed from defilement, to come forth from the trials purer, holier, nobler, and happier. We often enter the furnace of trials with our souls darkened with selfishness; but if patient under the crucial test, we shall come forth reflecting His divine character. When His purpose in the affliction is accomplished, the promise, [He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday] (Ps. 37:6) will be fulfilled.
Praise the Lord! Glory to our real Father who chastens us with love everyday that we may become perfect and fit for heaven!
Praise the Lord!
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