Good Morning! 2010.06.18 - Psalm 119:67, 71 - It is Good For Me

Good Morning!

 

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)

 

What a testimony! When I read these verses forty years ago I decided to memorize them. My mother demonstrated the effectiveness of affliction long before I ever read the words of today's text.  I'm surprised that so many Bible commentators have little or nothing to say about them. There is much neglect, today, of the reading and studying of the Word of God. So, we go about inventing and designing our own God who will not do this and that.

It's easy in our culture to think  that the whole idea of God is obsolete and if there is such a one that we call God—He certainly would think like I think. But God is who He is and if we will not listen to Him, He may give us a few object lessons until we come to our senses.

My mother was not a child abuser, but she did tear me up a few times and made it clear she was in charge. She never tried to be my buddy or my friend. When I stubbed my toe and ran in the house wailing I did not want a buddy or a friend. I wanted my Mama! The same is true in our relationship to the Lord.

My father never laid a hand on me—not once. He was gone a lot while running a sawmill and boarding with some family during the week.  So my mother was the disciplinarian. She was an easy-going mother, full of love. She was also a woman of principle and had taught school before she was married. When she told me to do something she did not say "please" and she did not count to four.

If I was told what to do and dilly-dallied around, I could expect lightning to strike. If I saw her go out the back door and come back in with a switch off the peach tree, I knew a storm was brewing and it was time to get interested in obedience.

The unfavorable hand of God upon His creatures has a good purpose. The first purpose is for correction of careless or rebellious behavior while living on the earth. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.  (Hebrews 12:11) Clearly, this is for the purpose of correction.

 

Paul warns that there is a sin unto sickness and a sin unto death. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep (1Corinthians 11:30). The remedy for this state is found in the next verse:

For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.  (1Corinthians 11:31)

 

I have heard many people lament: "Well, God is punishing me through my child's sickness or death because of my own wild oats." That simply is not true.  It is true that behavior has consequences including undesirable consequences. Good behavior has consequences. Bad behavior has consequences. But when bad things happen to people it is not always the punishment of God upon them. Corrective chastening is not punishment. It's a whole different world. It is true that God chastens His own. Consider this:

 

For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

 

But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.  

 

Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 

 

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.  Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;  (Hebrews 12:6-12)

 

These verses are NOT  talking about lost people and NOT talking about eternity. They are talking about saved people on this earth. The scope of our subject in this devotional is limited to the time on earth.

 

 

This article can also be viewed at www.bibleliving.blogspot.com

 

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