Make Me Good, Daddy

Recently a new diagnosis was introduced to explain the out-of-control behavior of a high school student. While under the influence of alcohol, he killed four people with his automobile. Rather than charging him with vehicular manslaughter and sentencing him to spend time in a correctional facility, he was given probation for “affluenza,” an entirely new mental disorder.

Many were curious about the cause of this “disease” until a psychiatrist explained its source: it came from parents who gave their child everything he wanted, held him accountable for nothing and as a result he never learned right from wrong.

However, this is not the way our Heavenly Father “educates” us. One of His “children” provided us with an insightful detail into His method of child-rearing: “The Lord has chastened me severely, but He has not given me over to death.”

The word “chasten” means to “punish, restrain or moderate” someone’s behavior. So, when God “chastens” us, He is in fact confronting our un-Christ-like behavior and urging us to repent. We are instructed in God’s Word to “let God train you, for He is doing what any loving father does for his children. For whoever heard of a son who was never corrected.”

One day a father found it necessary to chastise his son. After the punishment he looked at his Dad and said, “I understand, Dad. I did wrong and you were trying to make me good. I know you love me, Dad, and I love you.”

Prayer: Father, keep us focused on living as Your Son, our Savior lived and correct us swiftly when we go astray. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 118:18 The Lord has chastened me severely, But He has not given me over to death.

Friend Or Foe?

James wrote, “Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord!”

God’s power to heal has an important place in Scripture. In fact, of the 1,257 narrative verses in the four Gospels, 484 are related specifically to healing. We believe in God’s healing power and know He can heal. David also believed in God’s healing power and believed that God could heal him. But where did David begin in his plea for God’s help?

David was hanging on to life by a thread. He felt total rejection by God because of a major sin he had committed. It had become a burden that was too heavy to bear, too big to overlook and too obvious to ignore. In fact he said that God “pierced him and His hand came down hard upon him.” He knew he was being punished by God for sinning against God.

After thoroughly describing his mental, physical and spiritual sicknesses he cried out, “I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin.” In his wisdom and from his former relationship with God, he realized that God would not bring about physical and mental healing unless David first confessed his need for spiritual healing.

There can be little doubt that sin and physical and mental illnesses are intimately connected. Yet, many only want God’s physical and mental healing. With God, all healing begins with confession and repentance – spiritual healing.

Prayer: When we need healing, Lord, may we repent; ask for forgiveness and grace and then healing. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 38:1 LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.