May 22 (Lamentations 1:18)
“The Lord is
in the right, for I have
rebelled against his word….” (ESV)
It is Israel personified who speaks these
words, but ask yourself this. When was
the last time you heard anyone or any organization say something like
this? After detailing various hardships
and sufferings come the words, “The Lord is in the right, for I have rebelled
against his word”…from the leaders of our country…from the owner of your
company…from you. This is a tough verse,
and lest we think this is just Old Testament stern finger wagging, Hebrews 12:6
tells us that God disciplines those He loves.
If
you are anything like me, you avoid suffering at almost any cost and beg God to
take away instantly even the smallest of pains.
While it would be a mistake to see every headache and hangnail as
discipline from God, we do have to acknowledge when we have sinned against
Him. Children stand in front of the
broken cookie jar and say, “It wasn’t me!”
Grownups take responsibility for their actions.
Is
there something for which you need to take responsibility? Do you need to own up and say, “That one is
on me?” It may be a relationship that
you need to make right. It may something
in your team or organization that you need to correct. Whatever it is, we need to be mature in our
walk with the Lord, accept His discipline, and, simply put, do better.
Father, show me where I am not living the way You want. Whether it is with my family, in my work, or in my private life, I want to be all that You want me to be. Show me where I fall short and any place where I am rebelling against You so that I may repent and, with the strength of Jesus, go the right way. In His name I pray. Amen.
Copyright © 2016 by Steven R. Perkins
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