Yesterday, I was reminded of those marvelous verses in Jeremiah’s Lamentations that speak of God’s faithful love, and His mercies which come to us new and refreshed every morning. [Lamentations 3:22-24]
Reading a few verses past that, however, is an interesting comment on the discipline of the LORD.
“For the Lord will not reject us forever. Even if He causes suffering, He will show compassion according to His abundant, faithful love. For He does not enjoy bringing affliction or suffering on mankind.” [3:31-33 HCSB]
Lamentations was written as Jeremiah wept over Jerusalem when it was taken into captivity by the Babylonians. It was a terrible time for the nation of Israel, yet God had a purpose in that captivity. It was a time of chastening because they had fallen into repeated idolatry.
They had ignored warning after warning until God finally did what He promised He would do if they did not repent. He sent them into Babylon, the most idolatrous nation on the face of the earth. When a remnant emerged 70 years later and returned to their homeland, they never pursued idols again, but remained true to the LORD.
Proverbs 3:11-12 reminds us that God disciplines us in love. (That reminder is repeated in Hebrews 12.) “Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son, and do not loathe His discipline; for the Lord disciplines the one He loves, just as a father, the son he delights in.” [HCSB]
Even when the LORD disciplines us, it is not “forever.” Even when the LORD disciplines us, “He will show compassion according to His abundant, faithful love.” God has a purpose in our discipline – it is always to keep us from falling away from Him, always with the goal of restoring fellowship.
I love what Jeremiah said, “He does not enjoy bringing affliction or suffering on mankind.”
I remember what my father used to say when he disciplined me, “This hurts me more than it does you.” When I am disciplined by my Father God, I hear those same words.
