Day 161 – Chastening

Proverbs 20:30 Blows that hurt cleanse away evil, as do stripes the inner depths of the heart.

• God’s names:
• YAHWEH/JEHOVAH – Self-existent, Eternal
• Yeshuwa/Iesous – Jesus
• Pater/Abba – Father
• KURIOS – Supreme Authority
• Theos – Supreme Divinity

• God’s character:
• Teacher
• Mercy
• Grace
• Peace
• Righteousness

Life can be painful, not to destroy you, but to teach you. People often look at the lot they’ve been given and wonder when they will see the light at the end of the tunnel. They feel like they’re in an endless dark void. The bills mount, work is scarce, everything they try to do works against them instead of for them.

Solomon showed that when your life is harsh, it caused the person to look for their strength in YAHWEH. He is the only One who can reveal the inner depths of the heart and show people how much they need YAHWEH. When people turned their lives to YAHWEH, then He cleansed the heart and life from evil.

Whether the psalmist is David or one of the other singers in Israel, Solomon learned that the Law brought conviction, and only YAHWEH could bring peace when he did what the Law required and sought Him when life got out of hand.

Psalm 119:65 TETH. You have dealt well with Your servant, O YAHWEH, according to Your word. 66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe Your commandments. 67 Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keep Your word. 68 You are good and do good; teach me Your statutes. 69 The proud have forged a lie against me, but I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart. 70 Their heart is as fat as grease, but I delight in Your law. 71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes. 72 The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of coins of gold and silver.

What brought you to your knees before the cross? How far down did you need to go before you looked up and reached for Yeshuwa? Before we can find grace and mercy, we need to hit rock bottom. It is only in looking up that we can see how far we’ve fallen. It is only then that you strip away pride and arrogance. When you take a hard look at your life, you can then see your need for Yeshuwa. It is then that you submit to Him.

The author of Hebrews showed us the Pater’s love through His correction.

Hebrews 12:4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of KURIOS, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom KURIOS loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.” 7 If you endure chastening, Theos deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Should we not much more readily be in subjection to the Pater of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

The only way to gain the peaceable fruit of righteousness in your life is to submit to Yeshuwa. Then He will bring you into His arms and show you His love. There is no better place to be than in His arms, surrounded by His love.

Let’s pray: Father, You have been fairer to me than I deserve. You let me drown in my pride and arrogance until I saw my need for You. Then You reached down and lifted me out of the mud of my own deception. Cleanse me from everything that takes me away from You and let me sit with You, surrounded by Your love. Never let me go. I am nothing without Your love covering me. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Copyright © 29 June 2026 by Valerie Routhieaux