PUNISH
Today's reading: Leviticus 25-27

"However, if you do not listen to me or obey my commands, and if you break my covenant by rejecting my laws and treating my regulations with contempt, I will punish you..." Leviticus 26:14-16 NLT

Punish-to impose a penalty on for a fault, offense or violation; to deal with roughly or harshly; to inflict injury on; to chastise.

None of us enjoy punishment, paying consequences or being treated badly in response to poor choices on our part.

None of us.

But to imagine tough times, rough days and harsh discipline not from the evil world we live in, but straight from the hand of God--that's unthinkable.

None of us could bear it.

And yet we do. Daily.

We make choices that go against His will for us. We take deliberate action against His wishes. We disregard His commands, by commission or by omission.

And He punishes us.

And it hurts. It's uncomfortable. It breaks our hearts. It's not anything we enjoy.

And honestly, He doesn't enjoy it either. But He must do it. He told us He would, so He has to carry out His word. As much as He would prefer we not choose for Him to do it.

Because He loves us...that deeply.