The Father’s Discipline!

Psalm 106

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, August 1.

Parents use both positive and negative reinforcement. Paul exhorted Christian parents in Ephesians 6:4, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” The goal is the same for godly parents – to train their children “to walk in a manner worthy of the calling which [they] have been called” (Ephesians 4:1). This is exemplified to us by God the Father.

Psalms 105-106 illustrate how God uses both positive and negative reinforcement. Whereas Psalm 105 emphasized more of His loving efforts throughout His children’s history, today’s psalm highlights the sins of Israel and how those choices led to His discipline. It’s almost as if God were saying to His children, “If My unconditional love and boundless grace are not enough to compel you to live according to My statutes and observe My laws (105), then you must experience the consequences of living outside of My blessings and protection (106).” Underneath today’s psalm, I can almost hear every godly parent’s lament at having to use negative reinforcement, “This hurts me more than it hurts you.” Psalm 106:13-14, 21, 44-45 summarize the cycle of discipline and instruction that God took the children of Israel through from the exodus to their exile:

They quickly forgot His works; they did not wait for His counsel, but craved intensely in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. So He gave them their request, but sent a wasting disease among them. … They forgot God their Savior, Who had done great things in Egypt, … Nevertheless He looked upon their distress when He heard their cry; and He remembered His covenant for their sake, and relented according to the greatness of His lovingkindness.

Seize the moment and pray Psalm 106, meditating upon the discipline of the Lord – “He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness” (Hebrews 12:10). Experience the Father’s love in His discipline.

God bless you!

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YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.