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| The look says it all... |
When I was a kid, we were on the road a lot because Dad was a traveling evangelist. One of the places where Dad would have meetings every year that I loved to go was Ministikwan, Saskatchewan. We would be there for weeks at a time. My brothers, sisters, and I would have such fun with the friends we had made. I have such fond memories of those times......except for the times when I would get into to trouble.
One of those times was when I was about six years old. One of my dad's morning meetings was getting ready to start, but I wanted to walk to the little store with my friend Donna Grace. We wanted to go get some penny candies with the money we had made from collecting pop bottles. There had been SO MANY meetings, I didn't think it would hurt if we missed one or part of one while we went on our adventure. The store was not a stone's throw.....it was more than a mile away. So, I approached my dad with my buddy and asked for permission. The thing was, I already had a plan if my dad said no. I had already filled my buddy in on how things would go. If Dad said yes, GREAT!!! No need to implement plan B. But if he said no, here is what we would do.
We would go in to the meeting like obedient little girls, but we would sit close to the back and to the side, where we could sneak out without being seen by my dad. We would wait for him to start preaching. We would then walk to the store, get our treats, and be back in plenty of time before the meeting was over. My dad would always preach for a LOOOONG time, so I knew we had more than enough time to carry out our plan. Even if Dad did see us sneak out, there was no way he would leave his own meeting. Finishing the meeting was more important than realizing I had actually snuck off to the store. Another plus in my plan: our vehicle was hooked up to the trailer, so he wouldn't have anything to drive to come get us in if he did discover our absence.Yes, I had it all figured out. So we approached to ask permission.
Dad answered with a firm, "NO!", and I responded with an obedient sounding, "Yes, Sir" and then proceeded to get into position for plan"B." Donna Grace and I waited for the meeting to get into full swing before we snuck out the back door. Oh, it was a beautiful day! I am sure I remember the birds singing as we skipped along on our path down the dusty road to the store. We got to our destination, chose our longed for treats, and headed back down the road, all the while patting ourselves on the back for a well laid and executed plan of disobedience.
We were about halfway back when I caught my first glimpse of a little pick-up truck followed by a cloud of dust, tearing up the road towards us. I remember it so vividly thinking, "I wonder where that guy is going in such a hurry! He had better slow down!!" We stepped into to the ditch to let this lunatic pass us. Only he didn't pass us. The little truck came to a skidding halt on the side of the road right beside us. Low and behold, it was not some crazy stranger behind the wheel. It was my dad behind the wheel.....all 6' 4" of him....and yes, with a bit of a crazy look in his eyes. I watched with a growing recognition of the situation I found myself in as he unfolded himself from the front seat of the little beast that had delivered my worst nightmare (I still don't know who in the congregation he borrowed the little truck from). My well laid plan was crumbling before my eyes. Dad didn't wait to discipline me for my blatant disobedience. He folded down the tailgate of the little truck, turned me over his knee, and lit my little hiney up. He did not, however, discipline Donna Grace. She was not his child.
I have thought back on that day at different times over the years. At the time, I saw it as terrible. I got spanked. But over the years I have come to recognize that event as one of love and protection. In my own six year old mind there was nothing more than my own will....me wanting to go to the store and accomplishing it no matter what the method. For my dad, as a grown up and a father, he had more insight into the situation I wanted to place myself in. He knew two little girls walking by themselves could get hurt in many ways. He knew he had given me an answer which I had deliberately disobeyed. There was a heart issue that needed to be dealt with. My dad loved me and disciplined me as he should have.
For me, this is such a picture of how we are so often with our heavenly Father. As His children, our love for Him is supposed to be a verb. Part of the verb of love for our Father is obedience. It is to honor and obey Him. Oftentimes we don't want to. We want to do our own thing. We want His love, care, and protection, but we want to do what we want to do, when we want to do it. How often do we ask for His will and His direction in our lives, but then we immediately proceed to do exactly what we want to do when we want to do it. But this can't happen without consequences.....because we are His children.
And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. Hebrews 12:5-9
Just like my dad did not discipline my accomplice Donna Grace, because she was not his child, the Lord does not discipline those who are not His children. He disciplines those who are His. ( I am not speaking of judgement in this post. I am speaking of discipline.) The word for discipline in the Greek is paideuo, which means to train or to mold. This is what our heavenly Father is doing with us. He is training us and molding us into the image of His Son Jesus. How beautiful is that? God Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth is my Heavenly Father, and He loves me so much that He will not allow me to continue down paths of disobedience and self-will without correction from Him. This is so wonderful to me. I am so thankful for the earthly father who on that day so many years ago disciplined my disobedience and self will, and I am so completely overwhelmed with thankfulness for the love and discipline of my heavenly Father who loves me so so much and wants to draw me always closer in relationship and conform me to the image of His precious Son Jesus Christ that He will discipline me in love when I act out in disobedience.
