“Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
Yesterday I wrote ominously about God's warnings and punishment of his people when they are unfaithful. His word remains forever; he does not permit the option for divorce to himself or anyone else. But when blessings and promises fail, and warnings fall on deaf ears, the only recourse is punishment.
However, when we learn to accept threats as blessings and to recognize punishment as privilege, we not only understand the Lord's ways so much better. We also enjoy the benevolent mercy of God regardless of what happens.
The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us of that peculiar privilege:
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.
We call it tough love. Its administration might be mild for toddlers who bawl when deprived of dessert or told to sit in the corner; it might be more severe for the callous teenager who is grounded for a week, or the treacherous young adult who is turned out of his room and must couch surf to survive, but it's necessary in every case, and always an expression and proof of love.
Anyone who reads the Scriptures finds many stories of God's intense, passionate love for his feckless people. Anyone who thinks that God should neither rebuke nor punish has been sadly misinformed; their notion of love is Disneyland nonsense.
Saint Thomas was delighted by the Lord's rebuke. He was privileged to touch the Lord's risen body: "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side..." Jesus had never been so familiar with any other disciple.
Astonished, he uttered the truest and final word of the Fourth Gospel, "My Lord and my God!" He knew the Lord in that moment as no disciple had ever known him. He spoke a truth deeper than every other human expression.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.