God provides and meets our needs as a loving Father, but like a loving Father he will also chastise us for our sinful actions. ~ Lisa Blair

As a young child we observe our parents and those dear to us to guide our development. They instruct us and direct us, we listen and we learn, but learning tends to couple itself with making mistakes either intentionally choosing not to follow directions, or unintentionally, mistakenly omitting instruction.

Thus you are to know in your heart that the LORD your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son. Deuteronomy 8:5 ESV

As children of God we learn about the life of Jesus Christ through reading and studying the Bible. God instructs us through His Word. We learn about the characteristics of Christ through God’s Word. We learn how God forgave the Israelites over and over again. The Old Testament and the New Testament provide our guiding principles, and like our ancestors, when we do not meet the standards, they and we are often chastised.

Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Revelations 3:19 ESV

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. Titus 2:11-14 ESV