God’s Coaching Style- Deuteronomy 8

We read a lot about discipline in God’s Word. God’s discipline is often compared to a parent disciplining a child.  Being a parent, I guess this shows my polar use of the word, because I usually think of this as correcting, sometimes the concept of punishment even comes to mind (“Do this or else this will happen”). I guess most parents can appreciate that.

But today as I read through Deuteronomy 8, God showed me that no, what He means by discipline has more to do with training than punishing. True, (and I believe where my concept came from) punishment can be a component in the discipline process, but not always.

Listen to what God said:

“All the commandments that I am commanding you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to give to your forefathers.

2“You shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.

3“He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.

4“Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years.

5“Thus you are to know in your heart that the LORD your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son.”

However we are told in verses 11 thru 20, that when we finally see God’s blessing in our lives, to remember where it came from and not become proud. That’s where the punishment comes in:

18 “But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

19“It shall come about if you ever forget the LORD your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I testify against you today that you will surely perish.

20“Like the nations that the LORD makes to perish before you, so you shall perish; because you would not listen to the voice of the LORD your God.”

So what’s the take-away from this for me?

I think back to my high school days and our football coaches and how they worked us and pushed us. The purpose wasn’t that they hated us (though that concept came to mind once in a while) but rather was to make us stronger physically and mentally so we could do our best in the battle of Friday night competition.

Friday nights for me as a adult Christian are my life, each day. Jesus’ discipline is his way of coaching me daily to do my best for Him.