Usually my punishments consisted of being sent to bed early or having some additional chores from around the house added to my list.

Revelation 16:1-21

Reference:  v.7  And I heard the altar respond: "Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments." (NIV Bible)

Explore:  I was never a particularly rebellious child however I knew that if I did do something wrong there would be consequences.  Usually my punishments consisted of being sent to bed early or having some additional chores from around the house added to my list.  I never liked paying the consequences for my bad behaviour but deep down inside I knew that they were fair.

Application:  When it comes to my relationship with God I often view Him more as a best friend than a parent.  However, I think there is an important parental aspect of God that I am forgetting about.  Just like my parents were just in handing out appropriate consequences, I believe that God is also just.  That doesn't mean that I will always like what I experience or that I will understand my circumstances at the time, however just like my parents, God can see the bigger picture and knows what is best for me.  The punishments and consequences that my parents set for me were actually for my own good.  They taught me to be obedient, to think before I spoke and to be responsible for my own actions.  They taught me that my words and deeds did not just impact me but have an impact on others too.  Even though by age I am now considered as an adult, I still need my Heavenly Father to act justly towards me.  I may not always understand or enjoy the consequences but I know they will make me a wiser, stronger and more faithful follower of Christ.

Prayer:  Lord, You know I like to take the easy path.  Give me peace and trust to rely on You.  Amen.

What were your parents like when you were a child?  Do you see any similarities between their actions and God's?