Dealing with Consequences

4/1/99

 The other day my five-year-old daughter was playing outside, she went over to the basement door and started climbing on it so I told her to never ever play on the door again cause she could get hurt.

She said, "Okay mom, I won't."

I went in the house and could hear a banging noise. I wasn't able to just run outside, so I peaked my head out the back door and sure enough she and her three-year-old brother were both playing on the basement door.  I hollered out the door to both of them, "Get in the house now and go straight to time out."  They came in and sat in their chairs.

My daughter sat about a minute and said, " Mom will you forgive me?

I said, "Yes, I do, but please remember that is dangerous."

Then she said, "God will you forgive me?" She paused a few seconds then questioned, "You and God forgave me right?"

I said, "Yes."

She said, "Can I get down now?"

I said, "No, you can't. Yes, I forgave you and God did too because you asked, but you have to finish the time out."

But mom, you forgave me," she noted.

I said, "Yes, I did but you still have to face the punishment of what you did, just because you get forgiven doesn't mean you don't have consequences."

I think it is important that we understand God is willing to freely forgive our sins and as important as it is to ask to be forgiven it doesn't mean there are not any consequence here on earth. If we commit a crime and go to jail God will forgive us if we ask but he is not going to take the punishment of jail away you will still need to serve your time. Knowing this we need to think before we act because the consequences are right around the corner.

Isaiah 55:7
Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

Hebrews 12:6
Because the Lord Disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.

2Chronicles 16:9
For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.