Sin's Entanglement

 Our little, short-legged dog finds joy running through tall grass, chasing squirrels, rabbits, birds, or running alongside the four-wheeler or golf cart. But with those pleasures comes a challenge—removing cockleburs. Scout tries to remove them, but some are out of reach or embedded, so I help, taking them off strand by strand of fur. He doesn’t seek my help, and there is no appreciation because it’s an uncomfortable ordeal. But unless dealt with, the intruders stick to each other, tangling themselves into his coat further and magnify the problem.

Sin is like cockleburs. When we live contrary to God’s commands (sin), one bur after another attaches itself to our life. Before long, they entangle and, efforts to remove them prove futile. Some are out of reach—others embed themselves. Even though we may not seek our Father’s aid, He lovingly steps in and begins disentangling, called discipline. His help is often uncomfortable, unappreciated, and at times painful: “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous. . .” (Hebrews 12:11a). 

If you are God’s child, He will discipline you (v. 7). If willful sinful living is a continual part of your life, and you don’t experience His correction, verse eight says you don’t belong to Him. The result of God’s chastening? “But afterward, there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” God’s chastisement is always for our good (v. 10b).