8th October

The Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son. Hebrews 12, 6

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. Revelation 3, 19

How God challenges us

Somebody is sleeping deeply in a house which caught fire. To waken this person up one will not hesitate to use great means: one will shake him vigorously or pour a bucket of water on his face.

It can happen that God is obliged to step in bruttaly in somebody's life to pull him out of deathly danger and to bring him back on to the right way.Search for gain, ambition, pursue of leisure exercise an influence on people like sleeping pills. In order to wake them up God can send preoccupations and sorrows. Alas! instead of listening to this voice a lot of people dash into more amusements to try to forget these warnings and to chase them away from their thoughts.

God can use correction for disobedient children like wise parents do. It happens that God's love can only use this way to even stop a believer on a dangerous way when the warnings of his Word are not heard.

Has God never had to speak to us in such a way? Did we listen to him? Did we return? If God's goodness has not achieved his end with us then at least he will achieve it with his severity! His goal is to make us understand that he is merciful and full of compassion.