Discipline . . . What Is It Good For?

walking in the truth

Today's Truth from Scripture

"It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children & not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us & we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits & live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it . . . 

      "But you have come to Mt. Zion & to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem & to innumerable angels in festal gathering, & to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, & to God, the judge of all, & to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, & to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, & to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel."  Hebrews 12:7-11, 22-24

Today's Devotional Thoughts

If you follow my mental health MON blogs, you know that I struggle w/chronic depression. You also know that I've been in a particular struggle w/a depressive episode since last spring. What does this have to do w/discipline?

I think we can all agree that fatherly discipline can be a miserable experience . . . and not just for the one being disciplined. Sometimes it breaks a father's heart to administer discipline, whether it be a carefully place swat to the behind of a toddler who defiantly takes a step into the street or a teenager who breaks curfew.

Yet discipline--which comes from the same root word as "disciple"--is a necessary, no, VITAL part of parenting . . . a critical part of growing up. Educators all too often suffer the consequences of students who have not benefited from godly discipline administered by parents, but that may be a topic for another devotion.

What's my point. Hmm . . . oh, yeah; discipline is not just meant to punish. It's meant to teach a lesson. It's meant to "toughen us up." I interpret my depressive cycles--at least in part--to periodic episodes of discipline.

And in the case of spiritual discipline, it's meant to turn us to those things that strengthen our faith, point us to the Lord, & equip us for the spiritual warfare that we encounter from Day 1 on our "walk through the valley of the shadow of death." [That's a reference from Psalm 23. You can look that up yourself.]

Those spiritual disciplines include God's Word, the Sacraments--and for young men & women . . . along w/us old men & women of the Church, the Lord's Supper--prayer, time spent in devotion & meditation, Bible study, the counsel of godly men & women.

To what end? Well, we are always pointed to what saves us--the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And that's why you read the second portion of the passage from Hebrews above [I hope.] . . . because spiritual disciplines will draw us closer to the Lord . . . will strengthen us for our faith walk . . . 

. . . Remembering that forgiveness & salvation are to be found only in our Mediator Jesus Christ.

A Prayer Thought for Today

May Christ strengthen us through Word, prayer, & Sacrament, that we may find our spiritual walk strengthened to meet the challenges of Satan, this ungodly world, & our own sinful flesh. Give thanks for the saving work of Jesus Christ, our Lord & Redeemer.

Missionary News

Lois & I have "adopted" two missionaries:  Pastor Stuart & Debra Freese, who are preparing to serve in Ghana & West Africa, probably beginning soon after the 1st of the year. They are spending their time now getting ready for this assignment, which includes raising support with the help of Gary Thies. Some of you know Gary from his work via Mission Central. [http://missioncentral.us/missioncentral/welcome] I have Stu & Deb's permission to share the following information with you.

• Email: debra.freese@lcmsintl.org
• Email:  stuart.freese@lcmsintl.org
• Facebook:  www.facebook.com/FreesesinAfrica/ (NOTE:  You don't need a Facebook account to view this page.)
• Website:  http://debrafreese.wix.com/freesesinafrica
• Giving Page:  http://www.lcms.org/freese