Called back from the way of sin ... Called into the way of the Lord

"He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy" (Proverbs 29:1).

Sometimes, we need to hear words that we don't want to hear. We need a good telling-off. We need to be shown where we've gone wrong. Why? Does God want to humiliate us? No! He wants to lead us out of the wrong way and into the right way, out of the bitter way and into the better way, out of the way of pride and into the way of humility, out of the way that exalts ourselves and into the way that point away from ourselves to Him. Where does the word of rebuke come from? It comes from his love for us. He does not want us to miss out on his blessing. This is why He calls us back from attitudes and actions which will take us far away from the place of blessing in our hearts and lives. When we consider what God has to say to us, there is something we must never forget - While God's Word to us is, primarily, His Word of "salvation", this doesn't mean that He will always tell us what we want to hear. We love the idea of the Gospel being "Good News", but, often, we need to hear some bad news about ourselves before we can really appreciate the Good News concerning God's love for us. Before God, in His Word, speaks to us about "instruction in righteousness" and being complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work", He speaks to us about "reproof" and "correction" (2 Timothy 3:15-17). Reproof and correction - that's not what we like to hear, but it is what we need to hear if we are to grow in our love for the Lord and bring glory to His Name.