"And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
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."
Hebrews 12:5-8
This is an interesting analogy and lesson. The difference between a son and a bastard is mainly in "belonging" ... where the person lives, what family group they are a part of. Usually this isn't a choice we can make, as children, but here it is presented that way. If we want to be part of God's family and accepted into his house and family unit (for we are all his children whether or not we live with him), then we need to accept his rules and his advice and punishment. Just like God says to all of his followers, that the agreement is two-way. He will be our God if we will be his people. We always have a part to play in all of this.
On the other hand, if we don't accept his rules and his chastisement, then we're essentially moving out and making our own way... which can seem pretty awesome and empowering at first, but, as the prodigal son found, it doesn't last. Today, let's remember that belonging to God's family and being part of all the cool things that means also means listening to his counsel. Let's and work on letting go of our hair-trigger rebellious tendencies.
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