We have a contributor today from Arlene Muller, lector & Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion at St. Pancras Parish, Singer in St. Margaret's Choir, Professed Secular Franciscan at St. Adalbert's Secular Franciscan fraternity, itinerant speech/language Therapist with Preschool Children with Delayed Language Development. Arlene likes to write spiritual reflections in words and song to promote the gospel & the gospel of life. Her song "Anthem of Praise" is song by the Adult & Youth Choirs at St. Margaret's Church.
Arlene is responding to the article in Give Us This Day. The link is as follows: Truth and Consequences - Give Us This Day
My understanding of this account of David being pardoned by GOD for his adultery with Bathsheba, his deception/"cover up", and his murder of her husband, Uriah is twofold:
- GOD forgives, cleanses the soul from sin & restores the relationship & fellowship between the sinner (in this case, David), & erases the eternal consequences of the grave sin, so that the sinner (in this case, David) will not spend eternity in hell & will have the hope of heaven.
- At the same time, actions have consequences & there are still temporal consequences. One of the most important life lessons to be learned in life, as early as possible, is that all our actions have consequences, and when we choose an action, whether good, bad, or somewhere in between, we choose the consequences of that action. That is why our parents & other authorities in our lives discipline us. GOD is our perfect parent. In the book of Hebrews the writer addresses the issue of GOD’S discipline: the proof that we are GOD’S legitimate children is that we are subject to GOD’S discipline to perfect us.
Arlene is so right. And, I'd like to add that early discipline in the consequences of our decisions when we're children protects us from more painful consequences that God uses to discipline us when we reach the age of reason.
ReplyDeleteAmen. And I'd like to add that the early training in consequences by teachers and parents actually protects us from suffering God's much harsher consequences for bad decisions when we become adults.
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