Seize the Moment – Day 792
Discipline is Designed for Good!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, May 18.
Have you ever experienced discipline that seemed hard, but later, you realized, was an important and essential part of your development? The Bible speaks of the importance of parental authority and the urgency of discipline for the character development of children.
Second Samuel 13 is a heartbreaking chapter as David’s children sin against one another, not because David was absent from their lives, but because he wouldn’t discipline them for their wrongdoing. David’s firstborn son, Amnon, lusted after his half-sister, Tamar, and devised a plan to take her as his own, but upon taking her he hated her with a greater intensity than his former obsession and abandoned her (1-19). This is an ugly tale that fueled a deep hatred within Absalom’s heart. Absalom was the full brother of Tamar, and upon seeing David do nothing in response to this situation (21), he devised a plan to punish Amnon (20-39). He murdered him and later sought the death of his father when he led a military coup against him (2 Samuel 15-18). Absalom’s hatred burned hot!
Could Absalom’s spiral into murder and betrayal have been avoided if David disciplined Amnon for his gross sin against Tamar? Hebrews 12:9-11 states the importance of a father’s discipline:
Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
Seize the moment and submit yourself to the loving discipline of the Lord and His authorized agents in your life; God has good plans for you (Jeremiah 29:11).