Date: Monday, 7th October, 2024
Text: Hebrews 12:5-11
Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan
Exhortation:
Correction is meant to bring an erring person back to the right path. However, when correction is ignored or resisted God may decide to enforce it through punishment or suffering- this is what we call Divine Chastening or Chastisement.
A well known story is that of Jonah who was sent to Nineveh but decided to head to Tarshish. The storm, the sailors, the deep waters, and whale were all used as divine tools to bring Jonah back to his right spiritual senses- Jonah 1-3.
The Psalmist said, “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes- Psalm 119:67, 71.
If you have come into the mature level of sonship, where you crack spiritual bones; you have passed the stage of milk- Hebrews 5:13-14. Milk is for babies- newly born again converts, spiritually immature; one who is not yet accustomed to the word of righteousness- you may still be ‘pampered’, but as you advance in your relationship with God, he will begin to treat you as sons.
Legitimate sons are chastened by their Fathers. “For whom the Lord loves He chastens,and scourges every son whom He receives.” If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.” Hebrews 12:6-8.
Note however, that, “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
Prophetic Nugget: Receive grace to respond to divine corrections in Jesus name.