DISCIPLINE
"I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference."
Revelation 3:19 (NLT)
Do you believe that God’s correction is a sign of His love?
Our images of discipline and love are often separate from one another. Yet the Bible shows us that the Lord disciplines those, and only those, whom He loves. This is something we need to spend some time reorienting our hearts around. As we see in the letter to these churches, Jesus spends much time correcting them. It’s how He shows His love.
His goal is to turn us around. To move us from indifference to devotion and mission. This is the picture of repentance. Christ corrects our wrongs, and we respond by turning away from our wrongdoing and towards Christ’s instructions, figuratively in our hearts and literally in our actions.
Christ makes it clear that it’s Him, and Him alone, doing the correcting. It’s personal and loving. Yet many of us, based on our life experiences, may have different pictures of discipline.
APPLICATION: Here are two responses to today’s passage:
- If you struggle with discipline and love working together seamlessly, pray that the Lord will correct your vision.
- If you don’t, ask God in prayer to point out any wayward way in you.
PRAYER:
God,
The picture of discipline today is often skewed. Please help me understand discipline as You intend. As I pray, I ask You to reveal areas in my life that need Your correction. Move my heart away from where I’m lingering and towards You. Give me practical ways to step towards You today. Amen.