Hebrews 12:5-6  ⁵And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, ⁶because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”

Continued from yesterday:

I would like you to consider some things that have resulted in ‘paradigm shifts’.  The introduction of these things was so profound that they radically changed our thinking and behavior: automobiles, airplanes, television, computers, internet, cell phones, ipods…  The list could go on.  Many of us have had most of these things all our lives.  Some of us are old enough to remember their initial impact.  Regardless, it is easy to see how society was radically changed by each of these inventions.

Paradigm shifts often come into play with our beliefs.  Think of an atheist having an encounter with God.  His whole world is turned right side up.  Years ago we had a pastor friend who didn’t believe that miracles could happen today – until one of his church members was miraculously healed.  He had to come to grips with the fact that his view of Scripture and God needed to be adjusted.

Today’s verses use such words as ‘disciplines’, ‘rebukes’ and ‘punishes’.  While we recognize that God disciplines, we appear to have an aversion to recognizing that these other two words are biblical and apply to us.  We have a paradigm view of God that carves these realities out.  Do we believe that ‘rebuke’ and ‘punish’ are incompatible with a loving God?

If this is our view – our paradigm – it must change because it is as wrong as viewing the world as flat. God’s discipline, rebukes and punishment are all reflective of His love for us.  Read this verse in the Amplified version to get better insight how all of these things are saturated with God’s love for us:

“⁵My son, do not think lightly or scorn to submit to the correction and discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage and give up and faint when you are reproved or corrected by Him;  ⁶For the Lord corrects and disciplines everyone whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes.” (Amplified)

This is a process to recognize and embrace.  Once we see and understand, we experience a paradigm shift – we respond with gratitude instead of resistance or resentment.  We recognize this as evidence of our Lord welcoming us to His heart.