The Price of Grace
Charges.
Recently, my oldest son racked up over $150 of charges with shows and games on my AppleTV. He and I have had this conversation countless times. If it says FREE, then you can watch it. If it has a number with this ($) sign in front, you cannot watch it. Yesterday, he disobeyed that known instruction and cost me a great deal of money.
I’m frustrated. He knows better. He’s my son. I love him deeply. He looks just like me. But, I wish he made better choices with the freedoms I gave him. It’s not that $156.42 is so great that I couldn’t pay for it. My card was already charged by the time I got the e-mail. This is just the receipt. I would make him pay me back for it, but he has no means with which to pay. So I will discipline him… then restore him… then restrict him as he learns better. His bright future demands that he learn such lessons.
As frustrated as I am with him, I must admit that this is my story with my Heavenly Father. He loves me deeply. I am made in His image. But, I have racked up a high debt of sin. I’m certain that God is frustrated. We’ve had this conversation countless times. I know He’d like to see me make better choices with the freedoms He allows.
It’s not that my sin is so great that God can’t pay for it. It was already paid by Jesus on the cross. Because of the cross, He won’t make me pay for it. I have no means of paying it back anyway. So he disciplines me… then restores me… and restricts me. Because His great plans for me demand that I learn such lessons.
My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord Or loathe His reproof, For whom the Lord loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights. ~Proverbs 3:11-12