The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Numbers 15:28-31, “The priest shall make atonement before the LORD for the person who goes astray when he sins unintentionally, making atonement for him that he may be forgiven.
29 ‘You shall have one law for him who does anything unintentionally, for him who is native among the sons of Israel and for the alien who sojourns among them.
30 ‘But the person who does anything defiantly, whether he is native or an alien, that one is blaspheming the LORD; and that person shall be cut off from among his people.
31 ‘Because he has despised the Word of the LORD and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt will be on him.'”

Have you ever wondered why there are rules governing the way we live? If you take time to think it through, it’s all a matter of discipline. I never thought of it that way when I was a child. I was simply told to do certain things, and never to do others. Always, I asked why. Sometimes, I was told; but many times, the reply was “because I said so.”

Discipline works like a “fenced-in” area. If you obey, you are ultimately rewarded; if you disobey— well, there is a cost to pay.

Australia does possess a very hot sun! They warned me about it; but, I had lived there sufficiently long to believe my skin had adjusted to it. It had not! I ought to have listened and obeyed.

We’re often like that with the LORD. Fortunately, He allows “the person who goes astray…unintentionally” to be forgiven. If, however, we go astay, believing He will always forgive, we learn that “always” is not His way.

The key to understanding what the LORD is doing is called “discipline.” There are normal physical disciplines in life. There are also spiritual disciplines: 1) Always do this; and 2) Never do that!

The LORD is not playing games with us. He’s working to build us up into His likeness by teaching us to obey His instructions. Think you can do as you like and get away with it? (Don’t forget that hot sun!) He has more specific things, too. He is a righteous God! Were He not, He would care nothing about the direction of our lives.

Solomon stated it clearly:

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your body
And refreshment to your bones” (Prov. 3:5-8).

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom