“Blessed is the man whom You discipline O LORD,
And whom You teach Your law,”  Psalm 94:12

Know that discipline is a mark of the Father’s love and therefore it is a blessing.  Discipline (chastisement in some translations) is for training and correction.  It is a characteristic of an earthly father’s love for his child.  That being so, how much more is it necessary for our Heavenly Father who loves us beyond measure?  

Our Heavenly Father promised to write His law on the hearts of His own. Through trials and circumstances we come to know the Lord and His ways.  We may come to know ABOUT Him from reading books, but we come to KNOW Him in a personal relationship, experientially; through trials, circumstances and His Word.  Let’s see what Scripture tells us.

“Thus you are to know in your heart that the LORD your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son.”  Deuteronomy 8:5 (This tells of God’s gracious dealing with the Israelites in the desert.  Read Vs. 1-6 to understand the ‘Thus’ in our verse.)

“My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD,
Or loathe His reproof,
For whom the LORD loves He reproves,
Even as a father the son in whom he delights.”  Proverbs 3:11-12

Jesus speaking,
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.  Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”  John 15:1-2
And verse 5
“I am the vine, you are the branches…”

“…He (the Father) disciplines us for our good that we may share His holiness.”  Hebrews 12:10
(Read Vs 1-13 the Father’s discipline.  WE have looked at some of these verses in the past, but it is good to be reminded that it is because of the Father’s  great love that He disciplines us.)

These are promises to the afflicted:
“For His anger is but for a moment,
And His favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
But joy comes with the morning.”  Psalm 30:5

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous;
But the LORD delivers him out of them all.”  Psalm 34:19

“For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.”  2 Corinthians 4:17

We can not forget Romans 8:28,
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

The afflictions of the righteous lead to happiness:
“Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves;
Therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty”  Job 5:17 

“Behold, we count those blessed who endure.  You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the LORD’S dealings, that the LORD is full of compassion and is merciful.”  James 5:11

I close with our opening Scripture from the Amplified Bible,
“Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whom You discipline and instruct, O LORD, and teach out of Your law.”

Oh how gracious is our Heavenly Father!  Out of His love He provides our trials and testings and graciously goes through them with us.  And never gives any that are beyond us to endure.  Coming through, He blesses us with joy!

All praise, honor and glory to you: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen