None of us like to think of God chastening us. No correction is ever pleasant. There is one consolation. The Bible says in Hebrews 12: 6 “For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives.” Then in verse 10 He gives us the reason for that discipline, . . . “that we may share in His holiness.”

God’s word is true Truth. Romans 3:4 says “. . . let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, . . . ” When we choose to live our lives contrary to God’s Word, we become liars.

I ran across a Bible scripture in Job, chapter 5 verse 17 and 22 this morning. It reads, “Behold, how happy is the man whom God reproves, so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. You will laugh at violence and famine, neither will you be afraid of wild beasts.”

The words wild beasts stood out when I read this scripture. Wild beasts come in many forms.

Just this week, Jodi Arias was convicted of murder for attacking and killing the man who brutalized her. Then there was Ariel Castro in Cleveland who kept three women prisoner for ten years. Here in Kansas, a man in the rural town of Ottawa killed four people, one of whom was an eighteen-month-old child.

Surely we are under the Lord’s chastening. He is calling us back to Him and His ways before it’s too late. Will you seek Him? II Chronicles 7:14 says, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Do you notice the word will? It is His will to hear, forgive, and heal. In order for Him to do His will we must do our part: humble ourselves and pray, seek His face and turn from our wicked ways.

Will we obey or suffer the consequences?