The Best For Us
by Nancy Harry
There was a deceiver, a liar, lurking in the shadows. He was bent on planting doubt and mistrust towards God in the hearts of the first couple. The first man to represent all mankind chose to trust the words of this deceiver, instead of trusting in the words of God Himself, the very one that created him. As a result, he opened the door for sin to flood mankind. We have now all received a sin nature; a pull towards evil instead of good. A nature that needs changed.
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned. (Romans 5:12 NIV)
We see this so easily displayed in small children. If you would let them to their own devices most likely they would get themselves in a lot of trouble. This is one good reason why God ordained families. Now children could have the benefit of a mother and father to not only love them but encourage, correct, train, and advise them as they grew into mature adults. God even continues to train and correct and guide us as adults; so we can build character and mature, becoming more like him in nature, and becoming everything he wants us to be.
My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves as a father the son he delights in.(Proverbs 3:11-12 NIV)
Some people think God is waiting to send hardship and sickness their way, or waiting with a whip just to catch them in the slightest sin or mistake. This is not true. As Believers, God calls us his children. Would you wish disaster on your children? Of course not! Neither would God. It was out of his love for us that he even willingly sacrificed his own son to re-establish a relationship with us.
How much more did God’s grace and the gift [forgiveness of sin] that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! (Romans 5:15 NIV)
He wants the best for us. He said we would be inheritors with Christ. He wants to share with us all that is his. Just as we reward our children for their obedience, God rewards us with blessings and promises.
Every good and perfect gift is from above. (James 1:17 NIV)
How does God correct and teach us? He sent his Holy Spirit to live in us to guide and direct us by speaking to our hearts. He gave us the Bible to teach us how to live, how to love each other, and how to love him. Instead of thinking of discipline as punishment, think of it as common sense advice to follow. These are guidelines to help makes us the best we can be.
He wants us to learn through his word, so we don’t have to experience the consequences of sin. In the same manner, we want our children to learn by obeying our word, so they don’t have to experience harmful consequences. If a parent says don’t touch the hot stove, it is to protect the child. If a parent says don’t run out into the street, it is for the child’s good. God, in the same way, tells us how to live so we won’t get hurt. If we don’t listen to his wisdom, we pay the consequences. It is the nature of sin that destroys, not God. His mercy and grace protects and saves us.
A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:7-8 NIV)
When we do encounter trouble Psalm 46:1 says, God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. And, Psalms 34:17 NIV says, The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. Yes, He is there to help us through it or out of it. He is a restoring God. How awesome is his love for us!
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. |