Did you ever have a "Mamaw" or a "Mimi" or a "Granny", "Nana", "Grammy"? I had a Mamaw. I may have mentioned last week that my great-grandmother was in the hospital. Well, her room in heaven was ready and she went home to be with Jesus on September 8th. I've lost grandparents and loved ones before, but the exact date on which they made the transition from this life to the next escapes me...in most cases. That will not be the case here, as Mamaw was called home on my birthday. Extreme bummer. Last week was difficult for me all over. My husband is out of town and undergoing some severe professional trials, so he couldn't be with me on birthday or attend Mamaw's service with me; my mood has definitely taken a turn toward the negative and I find myself asking "why is everything hitting the fan all at once?" I can usually handle attacks...one-at-a-time...this everything all together, makes it a little bit hard to breathe. Through the course of this past week, my family and I recalled some of the things we loved best about Mamaw. The overwhelming favorite (in a very odd way) was her paddle. You see, Mamaw was old school (she was 95), and she firmly believed that sparing the rod would indeed spoil the child. So, to avoid any such spoilage, she had a paddle...not just any paddle, this one had a name---"Put Me To Work" and believe me, she used it! Discipline. Not fun at the time of administration, but those very same instances, brought smiles all these years later. Naturally, I began thinking of other circumstances in which discipline plays a big part in the building blocks of our character.
Today, we will travel deep into the New Testament for a passage out of Hebrews that will attest to the discipline administered by our heavenly Father. Read with me, Hebrews 12:5-9: "And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "'My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.' Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 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 our spirits and live!" Wow. Do you remember ever being told before a disciplinary tactic (spanking), "This hurts me more than it hurts you"? I do. I never knew what it meant till I had children of my own. If I didn't care about the well-being of my kids or worry about what kind of adults they are going to turn into, I wouldn't go to the trouble of disciplining them. It's easier not to. It's easier to give them what they want, rather than listen and/or watch the ensuing fit. But that's not the way God, our heavenly Father operates, and that's not how we are to operate either. God is extremely concerned with your character. He is extremely invested in what type of "adult" you will turn into. Let me ask you something: Are you undergoing a trial right now? Do you feel as though you are right in the middle of the Trials of Job? Are you wondering when the pain of job loss, divorce, death and other calamities that befall us will come to an end? Sisters, you are being disciplined. You are being shown how to handle the hardships of life, and how to withstand and live through them. We are daughters of the King. Princesses. But even princesses need a little discipline.
It's been said that God will never give you more than you can handle. I'm thinking He may have me confused with someone twice my size because my load is becoming heavier and heavier with each passing day. Still, even under crushing weight and pressure, I hold on to that load instead of giving it to Him. My shoulders were never designed to carry my own burdens. I am being disciplined to pass those weights over to the One whose shoulders are broad and strong. What weight are you holding onto? In what way are you being disciplined? You know, Mamaw's "Put Me To Work" paddle was not much fun to endure, but through that process I learned behaviors that were acceptable, and learned to avoid those that were not. Put Me To Work, Father I'm Yours, discipline me according to Your will and great purpose. Rest in peace, Mamaw...I love you. Have a blessed week!
"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." Hebrews 12:11
Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable, procures success to the weak, and esteem to all. -George Washington
DON'T FORGET!!!
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Awesome! I am enjoying your post's more and more. It seems like sometimes you talking to or about me! :) Thanks Dallas for taking time to write these words!!!
Posted by: Melissa Smith | 09/13/2010 at 04:33 PM