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Psalm 119 - Teth

When you were a child, did you enjoy spankings?  And since you became an adult, have you enjoyed God's "spankings" (trials and hardships)?  The answers are obvious - as far as they go. But the writer to the Hebrews gave us a more all-inclusive answer.  He said, "Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterwards it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." (Heb. 12:11)  Yes, it's painful, but it does its intended job.

The student of Psalm 119 has been learning about that.  He says, "Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your Word." He knows he has to credit chastisement for a change for the better in his behavior. 

But that doesn't mean it was easy.  In fact even the victory was a narrow one! He almost went the way of "the proud." And even now, he says, "they've" forged a lie against me."  "They" didn't like it when he left them to go God's way, so now they're telling everybody that he was guilty of the very things they themselves are doing.  The student says, "Their heart is as fat as grease" - meaning that they're totally insensitive to what they're doing to him, and they care nothing for God's ways. But the student has decided that it doesn't matter, that he's going God's way anyway. He says, "But I delight in Your law."

How did it happen?  How did he manage to avoid going the wrong way?  The answer is that God kept him by means of His Word and by applying the discipline of affliction.  He says, "You have dealt well with Your servant, O Lord, according to Your Word . . . Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your Word!"  He's just admitting that the tough things he had to endure were good for Him, that God had "dealt well" with him!  In fact, he concludes by saying, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes (the whole Word of God)!"

This is a lesson that takes some time and experience to learn, and it's not a lesson we generally ask for.  The student didn't ask for it either - but it's one of the things he's learning to give thanks for after all.  Have you thanked your heavenly Father for it in your life?

No Pastor I don't welcome God's discipline but I endorse the sentiment in Heb 12:11.

When we look back on our life's journey and see the footsteps of the Lord then we understand why He had to discipline us. We have to grow more like Jesus.  Amen?

Thanks for that Pastor Al.
Jenny.