Today's Devotional
October 25, 2007
Subject: Don't Make God Get Out The Belt
Jeremiah 22:5 - "But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith the LORD, that this house shall become a desolation."
Righteousness or simply doing the right thing is really an issue of motivation. Here is an example. Since my daughter brought home a "B" on her report card in math, I've been spending more time with her, reviewing her homework and making corrections. I realized early that all of her mistakes are from carelessness. She would read through problems and then rather than answer the question that was asked, she would assume that it was asking a question like a previous one. Finally I had had enough when she said the problem didn't tell her how many hot dogs were in a package and it was right there in black and white. I admonished her strongly and told her that I would get my belt to see if she could focus and pay attention to what she was doing. I went to the back and came back out with the belt and sat it down on the table in front of her as she continued to work her math problems. It was amazing how she began to see the light. All of a sudden she understood everything the problem was asking for. Tonight when I reviewed her homework she had all of them correct. Just as I thought. It was a question of motivation.
Has God ever had to do this to you? You know, got out the belt to show you how you would be punished if you didn't start "focusing" or taking "the problems" seriously? See sometimes we do with God what my daughter did with math. We figure that He's just doing the same ole thing every day. Isn't today with God just like yesterday? No because He is trying to grow us up and make us smarter and more readily equipped to handle the next "homework problem," and all of that is in preparation for the test. So when we are not focusing, God has to get out the belt. The prophet Jeremiah talked about how God "got out the belt" with the tribe of Judah. The entire 22nd Chapter consists of God telling them what is going to happen if they don't "focus." He knows it's a question of motivation. He does much the same with us today.
Today don't make God get out the belt. We need to get serious and focus so that we can more easily solve the problems before us. After all, "Dad" doesn't want us bringing home "B's" when He knows that we're "A" students. But if He has to, He will get out the belt.
Carlen
