Back to School Back to Discipline

Proverbs 12
¹ Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,

Romans 1:11-16
¹¹ I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— ¹² that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. ¹³ I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,^[d] that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
¹⁴ I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. ¹⁵ That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. ¹⁷ For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,^[e] just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”^[f]

Last week I got off track.  I did not post any scriptures.  School is getting back into session and I felt a little swamped. I did read some scriptures, but not as diligently as I should. 

As I look at these scriptures I realize I need to get back into the discipline of reading and posting.  As the proverb 12 points out discipline and knowledge go hand and hand.   Students know this as they get back into school.  They need the discipline of study.  Discipline is often good because it provides a framework to learn.   Getting back into school can take effort because you may have felt you lost that regiment of study (or maybe you never had it in the first place).   

I look at the other scripture in Romans and am encouraged to get back “on the horse”.  Get back to the regiment of reading and posting.  Paul was eager to go share his faith to the Romans but each time something came up.  Yet that did not mean he was indifferent.  He desperately longed to encourage their faith.  He knew the power of the gospel and was not ashamed of it.  So he was eager to let others know and even in times when he was delayed he still pressed on.  I pray that I would have the same gumption and boldness.  Yet, the truth is we all fall short at times.  We have all fallen “off the wagon”  (to borrow and AA term) in some sort of way.  The point is not to beat us up over it … but to move forward and get back to it. So even when at times I get sidetracked, I pray Christ would eagerly be prepared to share the good news of Jesus when the opportunity arises.

Questions to consider...
1)      Have you gotten sidetracked (either now or before) in your study of the Bible? 
2)      If so be encouraged to get back to it… take up the discipline again.  Even if you’ve “fallen off the wagon” Christ invites us to once get back to hearing His Word, fellowship with His church, and share His Gospel.