Deeper Rock - Show me Your Blood
Hebrews 12:4–6 (NLT) — 4 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin. 5 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. 6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
In verse 4, the word used for “struggle” occurs only here in the Greek. It is a term that suggests combative competition and bloodshed. Of course, the only one who has prevailed against sin with his blood is Jesus. The writer of Hebrews is reminding his readers of their dependence on God.
We are reminded not to make light of God's discipline. It is so typical to see people hurting under the weight of their sins, without realizing that it is discipline. They make light of it, thinking that they don't have to change.
Other times, people want to give up, believing that God does not love them. It brings to mind a child who thinks his parent doesn't love him because he is being disciplined. In the kid's imagination, his parent likes to punish him. I remember telling my junior high students that they were a real pain in the butt to discipline. I asked them, "Do you really think you're nice to have around when you're grounded? Your grumpy days moping around the house, slamming doors, and pouting are not fun for me either!"
I have seen parents who did not love their children enough to discipline them. Growing up, one of my best friends had parents who did not discipline him. At age 12, he became drunk without any consequences. At the time, I thought that was pretty cool that he had a lot of freedom. Now I know that it is very sad that nobody cared about him enough to discipline him.
God disciplines those he loves. I have often found myself praying with a parent who has an adult child, and my prayer goes something like this: "Lord, I pray that you would put a hedge of thorns around Billy. I pray that his sin would hurt him, but not destroy him. I ask that you would make him uncomfortable enough to look for help."
I have seen God answer those prayers. I think it's a great way to pray. It's when God is really reaching for us and drawing us to himself that he makes sin really uncomfortable.
Please come visit us at The Rock, so that we can help you be all that God created you to be.
Pastor Scott J Kruse
