Last Second Preparations

So today, around 12 noon, I was alerted of the possibility that I may be needed to speak tonight at Jr. High. Due to different circumstances our regularly scheduled speaker is serving the community through the service of jury duty.

So our topic tonight is the topic of "Tough Love." I have been thinking all the way down here to NMC about what I would share with the students and what I would be doing to convey a message the they would understand that God showed His Love through the Law that He handed down to Moses and all the other prophets and scribes that God revealed Himself to. I just simply can't get over the fact that God shows His divine Love through so many different avenues. Furthermore, why would God give us definite rules? Why do we enforce discipline through rules and the enforcement of those rules?

(This is where stream of thought enters the picture and I am going to develop some thoughts and take you on the journey.)

As I ponder this I settle on discipline. What exactly is discipline? We have Assistant Principals in our schools that are strictly directed to handle discipline and we have Pastors who are strictly devoted to developing people and students' sprititual disciplines. All of this discipline makes me wonder where all of this discipline comes from!?

Discipline is the product of the Latin disciplina meaning "instruction." When someone is disciplined, they are being taught something, given instruction in a certain area, and the typical result of a lack of discipline is punishment.

So the root of this negative connotated word is the idea of instruction! God didn't lay down the laws of Moses to condemn the people of the Israel, nor did He plan to make their life suck with all of these rules... but rather, He laid them down to give us a guide into how to live a life that is good to Him; that glorifies Him; that gives us instruction on how to live a life of Love.

And it is interesting how His creation, by accepted cultural, behavioral tradition, have the tendency to reject what law He has laid down. Since Adam and Eve, we have acted in a rebellious way. WE ARE ALL REBELS!! We truly do like breaking His Law. I admit it! I am comfortable with it. It's similar to my apathy towards the rules and laws that the people of this world have established: I am completely fine with driving at least 10 mph faster than the posted speed limit.

The question is why?



hmmm....

It's going to be an interesting night!