FROST AND FRUIT

READ:Hebrews 12:1-11

[Chastening] yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
-Hebrews 12:11



The Christian Worker'sMagazine tells about a young man who decided to grow peaches.He went all out,investing everything he had to develop an orchard.But disaster struck one spring when a heavy frost wiped out most of the peach blossoms.When Sunday came,he wasn't in church.The next week he was absent again.And the same thing was true the following Lord's Day.

His pastor became concerned and went to visit him.The young man exclaimed,"I'm not going to church anymore!Do you think I can worship God who cares so little for me that He will let a frost kill all my peaches?"

The minister replid,"God loves you better than He does your peaches.He knows that while peaches do better without frosts.God's objective is to grow men-not peaches."

God chastens His children because He loves them.His purpose is not to harm them but to bring them to maturity,so theri lives will be characterized by righteousness and peace.

Rather than complain,let us thank the Father for loving us enough to make us what He wants to be.He wants us to be like Jesus.

Because our Father's heart is grieved

When we begin to stray,

He lifts His chastening hand in love

To help us see His way-DJD

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REPROOF IS ONE PROOF OF GOD'S LOVE.