Today's Devotional

July 22, 2004

Subject:  Feeling The Love Again

Hebrews 12:6 - "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth."

When my now 8 year-old, Caylah, was a toddler, she would sometimes do the things that terrible 2 year-olds and 3 year-olds do.  She would test the waters with her parents to see what she could get away with.  Of course when she did this, she would be summarily disciplined and reprimanded.  At that point, most children aren't "feeling the love." What was always interesting to watch though was how if both parents were present after the spanking, she would never run to the parent who didn't spank her, but instead to the one who did.

Well there it is.  A lot of times it takes a spanking from God for us to realize how much He loves us.  It's at those times that we can often feel closest to God.  To "feel the love" from anyone requires us to know that they care.  So frequently, it is our own disobedience that serves as a reminder of that fact with regards to our Heavenly Father.  When we disobey, our loving Father comes in with the compassionate hand of correction to remind us that we are a part of His family and that His children do not behave in such a manner.  The very conduct of the slightest sin puts separation between us and the Father and when it is repeated over and over again, we can slowly slip away from Him.  However, it is then that His great love for His children shows up.  He simply loves us so much that He can't stand the separation that is created, even by what we perceive as the slightest sin.  That's what the cross was all about.  Therefore, He chastens/punishes us as a loving Father to bring us back together and then we can again "feel the love."

The key is to realize the Father's loving hand of correction.  The final question then is, after the "spanking," where do you run?

Carlen