If you bring a new puppy into your life, and then the next day find it necessary to be gone for several hours, you may rest assured that when you return home, you will be greeted by two things, one, a very happy puppy, and two, more than a few messes that will need to be cleaned up.
If you treat this animal with love, as one of your family, every time he sees you, he will be overjoyed, but one thing, among many others must be learned, and that is that we do not go to the bathroom in the house, we go outside for that. This will require stern measures, not always, in fact rarely pleasant to the human, for we love this little guy, but it must be done, the knowledge must be imparted. And with love, mixed in with those warnings, and as time goes on even punishments, the events will cease altogether.
Three verses come to mind, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” (Heb. 12:6) “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Prov. 22:6) “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” (1 Cor. 13:11)
It is one thing to be saved, it is quite another to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord. (2 Peter 3:18) We have been promised trials, tribulations, troubles and problems in this life after we become one of His children, if they are not present, you may want to double-check your confession of faith.
We are like that little puppy, we do not know any better, we make mistakes that we do not even know are mistakes. Without that growth we will never be profitable, without chastisement, we will never learn obedience through love to the submission by our own free will to His will. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Tim. 2:15)
As that puppy starts to grow, as the messes on the floor slow down and then stop altogether, it is time for more training, sit, shake, rollover, stay, all of these commands are completely new at first to the little guy, or gal, but soon they learn, and if you have ever had a dog, you have seen their reaction when they learn something that is pleasing to you, they respond with happiness, and usually some form of treat is the reward for learning. To know more about Christ, about the love that the Lord has for us is the best treat any born-again believer could ask for, each time we pick-up His Word there is a new revelation about His wonderous ways. “Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.” (Psalm 119:27)
Then you come home one day and find the inside of the pillows scattered throughout the house. The anger passes quickly, for you love your friend, but definitely no treats tonight. “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?” (Psalm 139:7) “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.” (Psalm 51:4) Punishment, chastisement is not only expected, but willingly accepted. “But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.” (Numb. 32:23)
The puppy grows into a dog, a trusted companion, a friend, a part of your family, a loved one. You can almost read each other’s thoughts; you are an extension of each other. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:2) “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Romans 8:29)
If life is blessed by the Lord in such a way that your friend is by your side many years, you will watch him grow old, you will care for his needs, you will hold him close, and then you will bury him. “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” (Psalm 116:15)
My friends, we are the sons of God, (Romans 8:14) we are loved more than we can ever imagine, we are cared for, protected, cherished. Grow in His grace every day, accept all that He offers you in the love that it is given in, we have no finer Friend, Master, and Lord.