Love corrects.
“For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
(Hebrews 12:6)
“ The LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, "There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor…Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.” (2 Samuel 12:1; 13)
Have you ever come home after a long day only to realize that you’d had a stain on your shirt or had forgotten to zip your pants? You may have wondered “why didn’t anyone tell me?!” and felt embarrassed. Maybe you’ve even been able to look back at your childhood and find gratitude for the way your parents held certain guidelines, boundaries, and consequences. In comparison to friends’ parents who let them come and go as they pleased, maturity shows you that a parent who cares is a parent who disciplines. In this context, we are able to understand the persona of God as a good father. Often mistaken for the conscience, God’s Holy Spirit dwells in the hearts of Believers, whispering corrections. Christians call this loving correction “conviction”. It might feel like a knot in your stomach when you make a choice that you know is wrong. It may be the uneasy feeling after a moment of disobedience. Now, because it doesn’t feel warm and fuzzy at the moment, you may be tempted to feel like God doesn’t love you. In those moments, remember your best friend who loves you too much to let you walk around with something in your nose all day. God loves you too much NOT to correct you.
David was very familiar with God’s correction, especially in today’s passage. Correction for him looked like God sending a prophet to show him his mistake. What does correction from God look like for us? We may not have a prophet come to tell us we’re wrong. Correction may come in the form of a wrong relationship that suddenly goes sour. Financial strain may arise after taking a business deal against God’s wishes. It may even just be a lack of peace about a decision made. While God’s method of correction may differ, the most important piece is our response. We can learn a major lesson from David here: while we will inevitably fall short, we must be quick to admit our sin AND turn away from it. David is remembered as a man after God’s heart, despite his faults, because he maintained a heart of repentance.
Prayer:
Lord, I admit that I have sinned more times than I can count. I have even had moments where I thought I had gotten away with sin before you convicted me. Thank you for loving me too much to allow me to live outside your will for too long. Please help me to value your correction and view it as an example of your love. In Jesus’ name, amen.
