LECTIO:
Brothers and sisters,
You have forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as children:
"My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord
or lose heart when reproved by him;
for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines;
he scourges every son he acknowledges."
Endure your trials as "discipline";
God treats you as sons.
For what "son" is there whom his father does not discipline?
At the time,
all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain,
yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness
to those who are trained by it.
So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees.
Make straight paths for your feet,
that what is lame may not be disjointed but healed.
You have forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as children:
"My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord
or lose heart when reproved by him;
for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines;
he scourges every son he acknowledges."
Endure your trials as "discipline";
God treats you as sons.
For what "son" is there whom his father does not discipline?
At the time,
all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain,
yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness
to those who are trained by it.
So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees.
Make straight paths for your feet,
that what is lame may not be disjointed but healed.
STUDIUM:
Obviously, the word, "discipline," does not mean punishment, but rather training or guidance. And actually this word is used four times in this passage and each time it is used, there is a slightly different nuance.
We must not lose heart which the Greek phrase translates as lose courage when corrected. Our role is to persist "hupomenete" in Greek to "last." Don't give up.
We must not lose heart which the Greek phrase translates as lose courage when corrected. Our role is to persist "hupomenete" in Greek to "last." Don't give up.
MEDITATIO:
Most of the time the effort is worth it. If I trust that my embarrassments, humiliations are divine corrections, I will endure them better.
ORATIO:
Lord, I'm so lazy. I usually feel that the effort is useless. I need constant praise. It's a good thing I have You to whip me into shape.
CONTEMPLATIO:
Jesus, I trust in You.
RESOLUTION:
I resolve to stay in God's training program.
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