A Striking Thought

Hebrews 12 is one of my favorite passages in the Bible (Hebrews 12:12-13 have been my life verses for years).  The language of unpleasant discipline is really close to my heart during this phase of life.  Instead of something to be avoided, can I rejoice in the fact that discipline is conforming me to the form God requires me to be?

When I read this passage, I pictured myself as a lump of poor quality iron.  The potential for utility is there; as a master craftsman God can see it.  But the only way to work the impurities out of the ore is with heat and repeated painful blows.  If the heat never comes, the metal can't be worked.  If the blows never fall, the impurities remain and the metal is weak and useless.

As the impurities are worked out and the metal is purified, it can be shaped into a form that is useful to the maker.  Only then can it become what its crafter intends.  In my own life, I want to fast forward to the 'being useful' part and skip over the 'being crafted' part.

God, please continue to work on my heart.  Conform me to the shape you require of me.  Help me to rejoice in the painful discipline you have before me.  Give me the eyes to see the peaceful fruit of righteousness that has been promised.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Gaining Wait

Image
  29  He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. 30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 31 but  they who wait for the  Lord  shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings  like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:29-31 I decided to sketch this after God brought it to my attention several times in a few short days.  Have you noticed passages in the Bible that repeat the same theme or phrase?  While reading, I take this as a sign to slow down and pay attention.  When the same thing happens in my own life, I do the same.   I greatly appreciate in this passage the way that God promises to renew us where we are.  Some days all I feel like I can do is place one foot in front of the other.  It is comforting to remember that God is with me, even on those days.  Or perhaps especially on those days.
Read more

We're gonna need a bigger boat

Image
 Reading through 2 Chronicles, I was  moved and convicted by the character of King Asa.  If you're not familiar with 1st and 2nd Chronicles, it captures the stories of the various kings of Israel.  Let me tell you, it's a real mixed bag.  While some of the kings manage (almost by accident it seems at times) to 'do what was right', most of them fail miserably and fall into idolatry or worse.  Asa is an exception to this.  Despite a dubious upbringing (his mother worshiped  idols)  Asa trusted God and did what was right.  2 Chronicles 14 captures Asa's faithful and obedient actions taking away the foreign high places of idol worship and leading the children of Israel into victorious battle.   The height of Asa's faith is captured in verse 11.  Before battle against a vastly superior adversary, Asa prays, "O Lord, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak.  Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against
Read more

Downside Up

Image
This verse is a great example of the tension the gospel presents in our hearts.  In the first part of the passage, Peter tells us to anticipate suffering.  This is understandable; if suffering came for Christ it will come for us as well.  Peter could have stopped there and simply given the warning. He also could have paired it with a more logical suggestion, such as 'endure the trials when they come".  Instead, he instructs us to...rejoice? It is such a head scratching concept!  Rejoice? Suffering? These two words certainly make strange bedfellows, but the gospel is not satisfied with half measures.  Christ wants us to experience his victory in every aspect of our lives, including our attitude. What trials does God have you experiencing today?  Can you take a step towards rejoicing in them?      Beloved, do not be surprised at  the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice  insofar as you share Christ’s suff
Read more