SOAP Journal 04-04-2008 (Psalm 94:10-13)

Scripture:

Psalm 94:10-13 Does the one who disciplines the nations not punish? He is the one who imparts knowledge to human beings! The Lord knows that peoples’ thoughts are morally bankrupt. How blessed is the one whom you instruct, O Lord, the one whom you teach from your law, in order to protect him from times of trouble, until the wicked are destroyed.

Observation:

Beginning with a rhetorical question which has only one answer - "Of course He does" - the psalmist immediately links discipline with knowledge. The Hebrews 12 discussion of chastening fathers plugs in here. We are morally clueless without instruction and instruction without discipline is theory only. But the one who IS taught is protected while those who refused to learn are no more.

Application:

Being thankful for hardship sounds like sick masochism, but as it says elsewhere, as training, it is indispensible. I need to stop being a brute beast when I go through learning exercises like that and instead raise my hand like one in class "Is this what I am supposed to be learning? If not, You need to show me." And He does and He will. Mourning rather than gloating over those who didn't and/or won't learn the same lessons is how to view the destruction of the wicked. Yet there is a sense of justice that's there too. Mercy of judgment though, ALWAYS.

Prayer:

Lord, let me learn fully the lessons You have for me. Let me be wise in my morals, pure in my ethics. Let me instruct others even, but also keep them from the destruction that is there path now. In Jesus' name. Amen.