Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Samuel 12:12-18.

“When you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ although the LORD your God was your king.  Now therefore, here is the king whom you have chosen, whom you have asked for, and behold, the LORD has set a king over you.  If you will fear the LORD and serve Him, and listen to His voice and not rebel against the command of the LORD, then both you and also the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God.  If you will not listen to the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the command of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you, as it was against your fathers.  Even now, take your stand and see this great thing which the LORD will do before your eyes.  Is it not the wheat harvest today?  I will call to the LORD, that He may send thunder and rain.  Then you will know and see that your wickedness is great which you have done in the sight of the LORD by asking for yourselves a king.”  So Samuel called to the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day;  and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.”  1 Samuel 12:12-18.

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Today’s Scripture leads us to meditate on God’s discipline of us.  Although the discipline is sorrowful, even scary, the result of the discipline is good.

In today’s Scripture, we read the result of the discipline:  “the LORD sent thunder and rain that day;  and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.”  Verse 18.

“It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons;  for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?  But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.  Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them;  shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?  For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.  All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful;  yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”  Hebrews 12:7-11.