Grabbed by the Back of the Neck

April 16

(Psalm 38:1-2 NIV) “O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. {2} For your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has come down upon me.”

(Hebrews 12:7-11 NIV) “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? {8} If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. {9} Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! {10} Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. {11} No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

Many of us had fathers who would grab us by the back of the neck and correct us when we behaved badly. So did King David. He endured God’s correction several times. His mistakes and infidelities are a matter of public record and his sin had spiritual consequences. Even kings cannot escape that. When we ignore God’s boundaries, He will sometimes grab us by the back of the neck and correct us. David felt the weight of God’s hand come down upon him more than once. He felt God’s arrows of conviction pierce his heart. One cannot ignore the arrows of God and His heavy hand. Only a fool would try. God loves us enough to discipline us. The Lord knows that if left unchecked, sin has disastrous consequences. And while His discipline can be painful, it can also change our direction and save our lives. Listen to God. Don’t force Him to grab you by the back of the neck. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day