“My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline,
but don’t be crushed by it either.
It’s the child he loves that he disciplines;
the child he embraces, he also corrects.”
Hebrews 12: 5-6
Our culture today has trouble differentiating God from Santa Claus. We want God to be love, to be cozy and approachable, forgiving and loving. Media tells us how inadequate we are and reminds us that we need to buy their products to improve this or that about ourselves. A voice of affirmation of the beauty of life is often drowned out. The Old Testament in talking about the Second Commandment where we are warned not to make an images of God or use his name in vain, talks about God as a consuming fire. That message is not in vogue for sure. The New Testament softens the image in the letter to the Hebrews. God is not a “Get Out of Jail Free” card. Hebrews pictures him as a loving parent that disciplines those he loves to bring out the best. He guides those who are lost. We don’t like to think of God confronting us with our mistakes but we sometimes need to be confronted and just plain told the truth. We took a wrong turn. The end of the world is pictured as being consumed by fire rather than water so that a new world can be created. That which is old and useless must be discarded. Dealing with waste is a real ecological problem. Fire deals with waste and sin. Cauterizing bleeding with heat stops the bleeding. Fire purifies gold, gives warmth on a cold night, and provides light in darkness.
Whether we use the word “discipline” or “fire”, the image of God being a passionate being on my side, defending me from evil and bringing out the best in my life can be comforting. God is the Good Shepherd for those of us feeling like sheep but God is also a Disciplining Parent for those of us who need guidance. Let us thank God that he sees and cares about our lives and our world. Blessings.
On the Way to Wonder 