Discipline in righteousness

Dave Gobbett | 18:30, 16 May 2020

[This content was first shared on 28th April as one of the 10:30am Daily Devotionals]

I don't know how you are feeling today, but I'm absolutely aching.

Yesterday I agreed to join my kids on the Joe Wicks workout programme in front of the TV. Sally's been doing it faithfully with them over the course of the lockdown, but to my shame, yesterday was my first time. And, boy, am I aching! There are muscles hurting that I didn't know existed. But though I'm stiff and sore, I know it is for my good.

That's the thing about physical discipline and exercise, we do it because we know it's good for us even though it feels painful at the time. I'm reminded of those Bible verses in Hebrews chapter 12 that talk about discipline.

maybe the novelty has pretty much worn off now and you'd just like to get back into the real world

The fact is that we are six weeks into the coronavirus lockdown. I don't know how you're feeling about that but maybe the novelty has pretty much worn off now and you'd just like to get back into the real world, to go to the places you love, to see people, to give someone a hug. But it looks like we're going to be indoors for quite a bit longer, and it feels like a really painful time, particularly for those struggling with the little ones or feeling lonely. Let me remind you of some words in Hebrews chapter 12 which show that God understands what we are going through:

7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

These are really important verses for us to reflect on. Now, I'm not saying that the global pandemic that we're all facing is to be understood as something deliberately engineered to serve God's ends. We are not meant to try to decode things in that precise kind of way. But I am saying that the Lord is sovereign over the coronavirus. He has the crown above the crown of the coronavirus. He is the king and he is the Lord. The coronavirus pandemic didn't surprise him. But in his sovereign, good and wise plan he has allowed this pandemic to occur. He knows that it is going to cause us pain.

We need to submit to the discipline and recognise that the Lord intends it for our good

Whenever we experience pain we ask why is this happening? We want to get out of it; to stop the pain. We do want to stop the lockdown. We do want to get out. We want to get to the business-as-usual, normal world that we once enjoyed. But if God, as our loving, heavenly Father, is using this pandemic for his own wider purposes, it would be wrong of us merely to wish it away. We need to submit to the discipline and recognise that the Lord intends it for our good, to mature us, and produce a harvest of righteousness and peace.

When I was doing those exercises yesterday, and especially today, it was painful, not pleasant. I'm not used to doing all those strange kinds of exercises and so I feel the pain now, but I know that it's for my good, it trains me and helps me to stay strong and healthy. Likewise this enforced lockdown with its restrictions and pressures can be used by the Lord in a similar way - to help us to re-evaluate our priorities, our attitudes and our activities, and not least, in whom we place our trust in these uncertain times.

it's the job of loving parents to think ahead and do what is good for their children

I hope you will see this lockdown experience as an opportunity for our Heavenly Father to discipline and train us in righteousness, so that when it eventually ends we look back to this very strange season of global pandemic and recognise that the Lord was using it to teach you something important. As earthly fathers we sometimes need to discipline our children for their own good. At the time they don't understand it, they don't know what's going on. But it's the job of loving parents to think ahead and do what is good for their children.

Likewise, I'm convinced the Lord uses experiences that we find unpleasant to work out his purposes for our good and his glory. Our responsibility is to resist the urge to just wish the pain away and consider what the Lord wants to teach us and achieve in our lives.

Dave Gobbett Highfields Church Lead Minister