When we reprove our children, do we do it as those who DELIGHT in them? See Prov 3:12. God reproves and delights in us. May the Gospel shape our parenting.

You may not agree with Ralph Erskine on every point of interpretation in this series of posts, but he serves us very well by providing wonderful instruction on how to preach the gospel to ourselves whatever our faith-struggles may be:

“Go to God and say, O ‘do as thou hast said. Consider what he hath said, and take him at his word, and put him to it, that he would do to you accordingly. Whatever your care be, surely there is some word relative to it…

“But what says God to me, that am longing, earnestly longing for some taste of his goodness, some communion and fellowship with him? Why, God says to you, that he will satisfy the longing soul, and fill the hungry with good things. Mat. 5:6, ‘Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.’ Hath he said so? Then let your heart say, Lord, ‘Do as thou has said’” (Ralph Erskine, “Faith’s Plea Upon God’s Word,” The Works of Ralph Erskine, vol. 2).