I need a bumper-sticker that says, “Righteousness in Training.” It would be a declaration to the world that God isn’t finished with me yet; I’m in the process of being made more and more into His likeness. It was the story of my week. It was a difficult one. The Lord needed to take me through it. Early in the week I prayed that God would reveal in me any offensive ways. I’ve prayed it many times before. But I think I’ve been a little hard headed and prideful… ok, a lot.
Pride? Yes, that one area the Lord’s been talking to me about for quite some time. “Lord, forgive me for my pride,” I find myself needing to say often. But it was a deeper, lingering pride that prevented me from seeing the ugliness in my heart that He sees. And because He loves me, He needs to get rid of it before He can use me.
Chastening is like correction, or discipline. God’s word tells me that if I wasn’t chastened by Him, I wouldn’t be his daughter. He doesn’t do it to discourage me, but to strengthen me, and train me, as only a loving Father would.
“Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12: 11 NKJV
The entire chapter of Hebrews 12 will bless you, if you can relate (read it!) It begins by exhorting us to lay aside the weights and sin that so easily trap us, as we fix our eyes on Jesus. It continues to warn us not to despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when we are rebuked by Him.
“For whom the Lord loves, He chastens.” Hebrews 12:6 NKJV
The next verse is amazing.
“Therefore, strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.” Hebrews 12:12-13 NKJV
Reading that verse, I picture myself a dislocated wreck. My hands are hanging, my knees are feeble. I’m lame and not useful, all because of sin. But God desires to heal me. He desires to correct my sin so that I may not be dislocated, but rather healed. He desires to purify me, to make me whole and to give me strength. There is only one place to receive that. It’s not by anything I can do, but rather by the blood of Jesus.
“…and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:7 NKJV
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 NIV
The Lord has also used all of Deuteronomy chapter 8 to correct me this week. It is a warning to Israel to be careful to obey the commandments of the Lord so that they may experience everything the Lord had prepared for them in the land he wanted to give them. A land “in which you lack nothing.” (8:9)
Continuing on in Deuteronomy, I read God’s words to the children of Israel, which are so applicable to me:
“And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.” Deuteronomy 8:2 NKJV
And it continues on…
“Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him.” Deuteronomy 8:6 NKJV
You may know the story of Peter, a disciple of Jesus. A precious sister in the Lord shared this with me this weekend during a time of Bible study–and it was exactly where my difficult week needed to end and for a new week to begin (God’s mercies are new every morning!) Jesus predicted that Peter would deny that he was a follower of Jesus, which is exactly what happened. Right after Jesus told Peter what Peter was about to do (to which Peter said, “I will not deny you!”) Jesus took his disciples to go pray in a garden. He asks His disciples to watch with Him, but while Jesus is praying they fell asleep. Jesus comes to Peter and says, “you couldn’t watch with Me one hour?” He then gives Peter a warning:
“Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41 NKJV
Jesus gave Peter the way out before it ever happened. “Keep your eyes on me, Peter,” Jesus said! “You may be willing, but be careful, your flesh is weak.” It is the same lesson as the one in the boat, with the sinking Peter who took His eyes off Jesus, remember that? Within a few short moments after the warning in the garden, Jesus would be arrested, the disciples would scatter and Peter would be found weeping bitterly over denying His Lord. He didn’t heed the warning, and didn’t watch and pray like Jesus said to do. Because he didn’t head the warning, Peter does exactly what Peter said he would never do; he denied his Lord not once, but three times.
“Watch and pray, Peter!” was the warning.
Jesus is saying to me, “Watch and pray, daughter! The devils prowls around like a lion, waiting to devour you. Keep your eyes on me. Remain in constant communication with me, always! I will give you advanced warning when he’s lurking around and sin is crouching at your door, just keep keep your eyes on Me, constantly.”
And when I, too, have denied my Lord by my actions, my tongue, my pride, I find myself weeping bitterly, as Peter did. But I must be careful not to weep over the discipline, which, remember, is not intended by the Lord to discourage me, but if I’m going to weep, I must weep over my sin.
“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” 2 Corinthians 7:10 NIV
My verse of the week… maybe a good life verse…
“Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12: 11 NKJV
Training in righteousness. I like it. I need it.
I receive your chastening, Lord. I need your Spirit in me. I need to be quick to obey. I know it’s so much better to obey in the first place, than to face the consequences of disobedience. My disobedience hurts You, it hurts me, and it hurts those around me. Thank you for loving me enough to correct me. Thank you for forgiving me.
