Deuteronomy 1-3; Psalm 36; Luke 5

Lord, Your faithful love reaches to heaven,
Your faithfulness to the clouds. God, Your faithful love is so valuable that people take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. Spread Your faithful love over those who know You, and Your righteousness over the upright in heart. – Psalm 36:5,7,10 HCSB

God’s “faithful love” is such an important attribute of God. It is God’s covenant love. I see Him faithful and loyal just as a man loves his wife and is faithful to her. I believe there are no limits to God’s love. I remember talking to my children about how much I love them, in particular, my daughter and I went to great lengths to describe who loved each other more. I tried to make sure I made the statement – I love you to the moon and back.

There are so many stories in the Bible revealing just how much God loves me – He is present and in control. The resurrection was such a great revelation of His amazing love. The Gospel is such a real picture of God’s love for me – it exists because of the goodness of God.

“All his goodness is forbearance, and his love is mercy, because of the weakness, the lowliness, and the ill desert of us on whom the love falls. … The first and last, the Alpha and Omega of God, beginning and crowning and summing up all his being and his work, is his mercy, his lovingkindness.” – Alexander Maclaren

I can read, see and feel God’s love – that He is coordinating and providentially controlling events for my benefit.

Yet He often withdrew to deserted places and prayed. – Luke 5:16 HCSB

If I ever forget that love, I see it here when Jesus prays. It is here, in prayer, that Jesus finds Himself connected in a love relationship with His Father and it is the place where I enjoy being as well.

Father, I see Your love every day as I spend time with You each morning. The Holy Spirit allows me to read what Your love looks like as I engage with Your words in the Bible. As I put into practice those things that You are calling me to do each day, I actually can feel Your love coming out of me and going into those that are looking for Your love or have forgotten just how much You love them. When I call on You, in the name of Jesus, I know that You show up and are part of all my conversations and actions and You allow me to glorify You in all that I say and do. Thank You – it is something I look forward to each and every day.

Erwin (evanlaar1922)

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Numbers 3-5; Hebrews 12

It is really hard to see discipline as an act of love. Harder for a child and I remember those days, but as an adult I could really relate. As a grandparent, I cringe when my grandchildren get discplined – I love them, but somehow not as much as their parents do. The word “discipline” has to be couched these days as more and more of our culture and the best psychology theories out there seem to take a negative view of it as face value.

There is a bit more freedom using the word when we talk in context about God, and our definition is more in line with consecration as opposed to condemnation. Remember His command for us to be holy.

I need to read Hebrews 12:5-11 very carefully.

No matter what happens I am a child of God. He has a covenant with me and part of that covenant means that He corrects me when I go off on my own. He will not let me fall away. If I persevere in my walk with Him it is not because of my strength to be faithful, but rather because of God’s strength to hold me in His hand.

Here is the thought that just sticks out – “the Lord discplines the one He loves.” It is possible to read this as – if I am not disciplined then I am not a child of God.

That is keeping it real, but let’s agree to consider these points that seem to make sense out of the outcomes of discipline:

• I will stay on the straight and narrow path and I can because I am strengthened by grace.
• I will see the fruit of peace and see that in my relationship with others.
• I will look forward to seeing His holiness and my strength in putting off apostasy.
• I will choose to walk in the way that is right, pleasing to God and I will accept discipline and be trained by it in order to be a man after God’s own heart.

Father, these words are rather easy to write, they flow from my heart. However, it is a different story when it comes to living them. I write them as an offering to You so that by saying them out loud You know that I want to be accountable to them. I know I am inviting You to discipline me and I know I can trust You to do so in love. I know You know that is difficult for me, especially because of my relationship with my earthly father. But if I know anything, I know You love me. That matters most. Thank You.

Erwin (evanlaar1922)