Reflection by Chan Ying Ying
Voiced by Lisa Seah
God Disciplines Those He Loves
Audio
Prepare
Today is Thursday 15th of May. It is another good day to start with devoting our hearts, minds and souls to the Word of God.
Psalm Reading
The Psalm reading for this morning is Psalm 118:18-23:
18 The Lord has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it.
21 I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.
22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
23 This is the Lord ’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Scripture Reading
The Old Testament reading for today is Deuteronomy 11:26-28:
26 “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: 27 the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, 28 and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way that I am commanding you today, to go after other gods that you have not known
Reflection
God’s discipline is a significant theme throughout the Bible. It serves to show His love and justice. It also expresses His desire for His people to grow in righteousness. Proverbs 3:12 says “because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.”
Discipline from God is not merely punitive but is intended for correction, instruction, and spiritual growth. Most importantly, God discipline us so that we do not lose sight of our salvation.
Psalm 118 was written in a time of extreme adversity when the author was going through hardships and sorrows. The Psalmist cried out to God in anguish as he was surrounded on all sides by the enemy. Despite the situation, the Psalmist took it in his stride. He thanked God for His discipline. He had full understanding of His purpose.
In John 16:33, Jesus said, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
In life, we will experience trials and tribulations, sufferings, disappointments and losses. What areas of your life are you suffering from adversities – marriage, relationships, finance, work, health, studies, relationships? It is difficult to feel light-hearted in these situations. However, our joy comes from the Lord. We can always look to Jesus for peace and victory. We can also depend on the Holy Spirit to keep God’s commandment.
Questions for Reflection or Journaling:
What is the Lord saying about Himself?
What is He saying to you?
What can you do about it?
Prayer
Father, we thank You for Your loving discipline so that we can grow in Christlikeness. We also thank You for our salvation through Your son, Jesus Christ. Lord, help us, by the power of Your Holy Spirit when we are facing difficulties in our lives. You are putting us through the fire so that we can be refined into gold. Hold us close and fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith when we stray.
In the name of Christ, Amen.
We end with this hymn by Sarah Groves, He’s Always been Faithful:
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.
Morning by morning, I wake up to find
The power and comfort of God’s hand in mine
Season by season, I watch Him, amazed
In awe of the mystery of His perfect ways
All I have need of, His hand will provide
He’s always been faithful to me
I can’t remember a trial or a pain
He did not recycle to bring me gain
I can’t remember one single regret
In serving God only and trusting His hand
All I have need of, His hand will provide
He’s always been faithful to me
This is my anthem, this is my song
The theme of the stories I’ve heard for so long
God has been faithful, He will be again
His loving compassion, it knows no end
All I have need of, His hand will provide
He’s always been faithful
He’s always been faithful
He’s always been faithful to me
Daily Devotion 
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