Thoughts on Hebrews 12

Today’s reading: Isaiah 8; Hebrews 12

God’s discipline for His children seems like something the church in America tends to forget is in the Bible…

The author of Hebrews points out to us that it is the terrible and irresponsible father who fails to discipline his children. A good father recognizes that some of his children’s natural inclinations will cause trouble for them and for those around them, and so he disciplines them to teach them to live in better and healthier ways. No child enjoys being disciplined, but looking back, as an adult, you are grateful for the discipline you received because, while it was frustrating or painful at the time, it set you on the right course and saved you immeasurably more heartache and trouble down the road. This is the nature of discipline: it is unenjoyable at the time, but it is necessary, and it ultimately teaches us to be the people we need to be.

God, the author tells us, is not an irresponsible father, so if we are his legitimate children, we must expect His discipline. It is not a question of if we will face His discipline, but when we will face it, and how difficult and painful His discipline is is really a question of how quickly we are willing to respond to it.

Is this the kind of heavenly Father you are expecting and grateful for? Many today, at least in the church in America, seem to want, and expect, the opposite. They want a God who will leave them alone now, and will welcome them into heaven with great fanfare and reward, as long as they show up to church most Sundays and probably throw a few bucks in the collection plate. Many in the American church are not looking to be transformed, but are looking for the cheapest ticket to heaven they can possibly find. There is this pervasive understanding that all God wants is to bless us with health and wealth as long as we are minimally faithful, and that’s about it. If we choose not to be faithful, that’s on us, or if we want more of His blessing, that’s also really on us to choose to do more to earn it.

But as the author of Hebrews points out here in chapter 12, this is not an accurate picture of the God who has called us to Himself in Christ. God is not primarily concerned about minimally impacting the life in this world we want to live, He is concerned with who we are, and transforming us increasingly into the image of Christ. He is not trying to give us the cheapest ticket to Heaven, He is trying to lead us to the most meaningful, purposeful, significant, and joyful life we could experience, and, as our creator, He knows the life He designed us to live.

If we are serious about following the Lord, we will face His discipline. It will be difficult and painful, but if we submit to His discipline, it will always be worth it as it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness that could not be produced in our lives in any other way.