Tag: Reproof

Meditate on the Instruction of the LORD

“2but his delight is in the law of the LORD,

and on his law he meditates day and night.”

— Psalm 1:2 (ESV)

I have studied he above verse on numerous occasions and as is usual God has led me to something new. We are to delight in the law and we are to meditate on this law. But what I see this morning in this verse is the definition of the law in this context. You see, the law of the LORD here is “instruction” as noted in the meanings or definitions found in my ESV Bible. In my Christian Standard Bible (CSB) the verse says, “his delight is in the LORD’s instruction”.

In 2 Timothy 3:16, Paul provides Timothy with the same as relates to scripture or Law of the LORD.

“16All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” – 2 Timothy 3:16 (ESV)

God’s Word is not just the law that we are to follow, it is the instruction book as to how to carry ourselves through this world. Whether it be The Ten Commandments, how to pray, how to engage with the Word of God, or how and when to worship, God’s Law is there to guide us and instruct us through it all.

I know that I knew this. I study God’s Word to learn how to approach this world and work my way through it as God intends. Where I know that I am a sinner and have much more to learn, I also know that God is leading me to be better and more like Him every day. This is only possible through the instruction that I receive as I read, study, know, and understand His Word.

What is your view of God’s Word? Do you see it as the law? What if you were to see it as instruction on how to carry out your life here in this world?

Wisdom Through Reproof

It is good to be corrected when we are doing or have done wrong. It is in the correction that we learn.

“15The rod and reproof give wisdom,

but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.”

— Proverbs 29:15 (ESV)

It would be great if we were to be able to learn all that we need to know without any instruction or correction. The real world does not work that way. We will make mistakes and should embrace them so that we might learn. Notice the verse above, a child that is left on their own without teachings and learning from their parents is a child that is not going to be on the right path. It is important that we are out there learning through doing and making mistakes.

Now I know, not all of us have those parents that teach us the ways to move forward, and in some of those cases, there may be parents that are tearing us down for not knowing. In those cases, I am sure that there was or is someone in our lives that will take on the role of the parent to teach once things do not go as planned.

I am pretty sure that those who have made mistakes, were corrected and moved forward are those who have done pretty well in the world (and I am not speaking of monetarily). I just had a conversation with my mother about my youngest son and his decisions in life. He chose to join the Navy after trying two years of university. He learned to give things a try and learn from them. He failed, although he did not give up. He continued to look forward and learn. It was fully his decision and as we speak to him we can hear that he feels as though he has made the right choice. He learned from his failure and carried it forward to the now and into his future. My mother is proud of the learning that he gained and of the learning that I gained to lead him to continue trying and learning.

God has given each of us those in our lives who point us in the direction we should go and correct us when we get off track. The LORD gives us the ultimate direction, yet it is those parental figures in our lives who hold us to account to move that direction. It is the reproof or correction from those parental figures that gives us the defined direction.

What direction are you going? Are you just plowing ahead and continuing to move with reckless abandon? What if you took a moment to listen to the parental figures around you and learned from the mistakes you make to press forward in the direction that God has for you?