The Father's Love

Our Father. Matthew 6:9

D.L. MOODY
If you ask me why God should love us, I cannot tell. I suppose it is because He is a true Father. It is His nature to love; just as it is the nature of the sun to shine.

ERWIN LUTZER
What Moody doesn’t tell us here is that his own father was an alcoholic who died when Moody was about nine years old. Perhaps this is why the fact that God is our Heavenly Father was so precious to Moody. He didn’t have a father on Earth who loved him, but he did have a Father in heaven. As believers, God is indeed our Father. And as His children, we need discipline. Discipline doesn’t just mean punishment, it also means training. There are three different kinds of discipline. The first is preventative discipline. None of us realizes how many things God has prevented us from doing. How many traps along our path have we
avoided because He has brought some trial or diversion along our way? We could call the second type instructive discipline as in the case of
Job. It’s the hardships of life that teach us to trust God no matter what.
The third kind of discipline is retributive. That means we are taught through the consequences of our disobedience; we are, in effect, reaping what we have sown. We are learning the lesson that “the way of transgressors is hard” (Proverbs 13:15, KJV).
Why are we disciplined? God wants us to be more like His Son, Jesus Christ. As Hebrews 12:6 says, “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

PRAYER
Father, thank you for your love which means you care for me, and discipline me for my good and for your glory.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Read Proverbs 13:24. In light of this verse, what do you think about God disciplining us?

How can viewing trials as discipline help us?