Thoughts for another day

Jan. 22, 2013.

Today's verse: Rev. 3:19. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. (NIV – copyright acknowledged)

(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

The station yard was deserted as Daryl sat on the cold bench holding a half-eaten hot dog, the last train had just left.  It would be a wait of four hours before the next.  But rather than be worried about when he would reach home, Daryl was immersed in his own thoughts.  He remembered his widowed dad, shouting at him for having arrived late at night and as a punishment, wouldn’t give him anything to eat, not knowing his little Daryl had a sumptuous meal with his colleagues as they worked on their next advertising campaign. 

A tear filled his eye as he remembered a day before, his hand had held the coffin in which his dad lay, motionless and quiet.  Daryl could hardly believe; it had happened so suddenly – a heart attack and…  He could still feel his dad’s voice telling him, ‘go safely and come safely’ even as he left home for work.  In the years after his mom expired, his dad and he had developed a special bond between them; a bond of trust and love.  He remembered the concern his dad exhibited for him; his hand of embrace and ‘super’ look at every little thing Daryl achieved; though he himself hardly thought anything of it, well, what great achievement was it if he got employed at the biggest advertising agency as junior copywriter?  How he wished as he sat on the cold bench that his dad were there to scold him as he walked into his home.  But he knew that would never happen for the voice that had disciplined him was stilled forever; the hands that caned him when he went off the path, were right now being eaten by worms; yet Daryl knew that today what he had become had been the fruit of the tree of discipline his dad had planted in him.

This is just a little story of many people who sit back and remember the discipline that parents and elders gave them even as they grew up and in hind sight it seemed so good.  So too is the discipline of our Lord and Master, our Father in heaven.  He loves us so much that it pains Him to see us suffering, but for our sake He allows it so that we, through that, may remain close to Him.  See, our God, who didn’t even hold back His Own Son but let Him die a brutal death to see us with Him in eternity, and then think… will He ever punish us so much that we wilt under it?  Think and do as He says, earnestly repent and come back on the narrow path.  He will guide your way and lead you home.