"(Teth) You have done many good things for me, LORD,
just as You promised.
I believe in Your commands;
now teach me good judgment and knowledge.
I used to wander off until You disciplined me;
but now I closely follow Your Word.
You are good and do only good;
teach me Your decrees.
Arrogant people smear me with lies,
but in truth I obey Your commandments with all my heart.
Their hearts are dull and stupid,
but I delight in Your instructions.
My suffering was good for me,
for it taught me to pay attention to Your decrees.
Your instructions are more valuable to me
than millions in gold and silver." (Psalm 119: 65-72)
just as You promised.
I believe in Your commands;
now teach me good judgment and knowledge.
I used to wander off until You disciplined me;
but now I closely follow Your Word.
You are good and do only good;
teach me Your decrees.
Arrogant people smear me with lies,
but in truth I obey Your commandments with all my heart.
Their hearts are dull and stupid,
but I delight in Your instructions.
My suffering was good for me,
for it taught me to pay attention to Your decrees.
Your instructions are more valuable to me
than millions in gold and silver." (Psalm 119: 65-72)
Dear friend,
Notes from "Teth": Sometimes the truths contained in God's Word make us very uncomfortable (and perhaps, unhappy?).
Notes from "Teth": Sometimes the truths contained in God's Word make us very uncomfortable (and perhaps, unhappy?).
- God is good and He does only good things.
- God disciplines His children.
- Therefore, discipline is good (even though it may be painful or uncomfortable).
- We can follow God, but wander away at times.
- God will bring us back.
- People may cause us trouble; their lies can cause our suffering.
- Suffering is good, if it draws us nearer to God and to His Word.
- When we have a proper perspective, God's Word is more valuable than all the wealth we can imagine.
We have touched on these issues in our conversations, and they make us squirm a bit. God does not promise all good, peaceful, happy moments. In fact, He works in many ways to help us to draw nearer to Him.
In our normal, fallen human mindset, we would never equate suffering/discipline with good results. The words have negative connotations, and our inward selves rebel against the very thought of these. (These are common comments in the world: "How can a good God allow suffering?" "God is a God of love and doesn't judge." "I can worship God any way I want; He doesn't care.")
Even though we may not like the message of these verses, they are established as part of God's Word. Whether we "accept" them or not; they are true. We don't have to throw a party when/if we suffer, but we can trust the Lord in it.
In our normal, fallen human mindset, we would never equate suffering/discipline with good results. The words have negative connotations, and our inward selves rebel against the very thought of these. (These are common comments in the world: "How can a good God allow suffering?" "God is a God of love and doesn't judge." "I can worship God any way I want; He doesn't care.")
Even though we may not like the message of these verses, they are established as part of God's Word. Whether we "accept" them or not; they are true. We don't have to throw a party when/if we suffer, but we can trust the Lord in it.
- Which part of this section makes you the most uncomfortable?
- Why?
- Is it possible to accept something as true without "liking" it?
- What is of greatest value to you?
Heavenly Father, Your Word sometimes makes us squirm and worry. We love our comfortable, happy lives, and we do not want You to "interfere". We see all discipline and suffering as "bad," and we do not want any part in it. Yet Your Word tells us that You discipline us for good. We pray that You will indeed work in us, even disciplining us, in order to draw us nearer to You.
"And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as His children? He said, 'My child, don't make light of the LORD's discipline, and don't give up when He corrects you. For the LORD disciplines those He loves, and He punishes each one He accepts as His child'.
"As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as His own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by his father? If God doesn't discipline you as He does all of His children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really His children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disicplined us, shouldn't we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?
"For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God's discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in His holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening--it's painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in His way." (Hebrews 12:5-11)
"And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as His children? He said, 'My child, don't make light of the LORD's discipline, and don't give up when He corrects you. For the LORD disciplines those He loves, and He punishes each one He accepts as His child'.
"As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as His own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by his father? If God doesn't discipline you as He does all of His children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really His children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disicplined us, shouldn't we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?
"For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God's discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in His holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening--it's painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in His way." (Hebrews 12:5-11)
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