NIV 365-Day Devotional Plan (2017)Sample

The Father’s Discipline

The waitress refilled the coffee, and Josh took a sip from his cup. “So, Ian, how are the kids?” he asked after she had stepped away.

“They’re testing my patience,” Ian answered.

“Causing trouble?”

“I told them not to do it. Their mother warned them. And what did they do?”

“Let me guess.”

Ian shook his head. “I said, ‘You have a choice,’ and, well, they chose wrong.”

“So, what did you do?”

Ian sighed and sat back in the booth. “They’re grounded, just like we warned them. They’re spending the weekend helping Mrs. Chamberlain fix up her yard.”

“I’ll bet they don’t like that.”

“Well, neither do I. We had a surprise trip planned for them, but now that has to wait.” Ian paused a moment, lost in thought. His mouth tightened in a smile. “They’re basically good kids. I love them. They just have a lot to learn about how life works. We’ll see how they do after the weekend.”

If you have kids, this probably sounds familiar to you. And since you were a kid at one time, you also know what it means to disobey and then face the consequences. The Israelites messed up too. They repeatedly ignored God’s warnings and failed to follow the rules he set for them. Finally, God punished his people by sending them into exile in Babylon. Yet even in his discipline God provided a note of hope: Although the temple was destroyed, it would be rebuilt. Although they were in exile, God’s people would again live in the promised land. Despite their disobedience they would receive another chance to do things right.

God loves his people, and he “disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in” (Proverbs 3:12). But discipline isn’t the end of love! It’s just the beginning of a long story of grace and mercy, forgiveness and rebuilding on top of the ruins of past mistakes.

As God’s children, we all have much to learn. God loves us. He’s firm, but also patient and kind. He wants us to grow into spiritually mature men. And, like a good Father, he’ll see us through.

Taken from NIV Men’s Devotional Bible