Discipline me, Lord
Day 363, Saturday, Aug. 9
Jeremiah Chapters 10 and 11
In 10:23-25, Jeremiah breaks into the prophecy to pray to God. In verse 24 he writes, “Discipline me, Lord, but only in due measure—not in your anger, or you will reduce me to nothing.”
This is a prayer we could all benefit by praying.
One reason we might hesitate to pray it, though, is the common understanding of the word “discipline.”
We too often think of “discipline” as a synonymn for “punishment,” but that’s really too narrow of an understanding. Discipline sometimes involves punishment, but not always.
Real discipline is always internal, not external. Any external discipline (be it punishment or reward) is at best a strategy to instill internal discipline.
This is why Jeremiah pleas for God to discipline him only in due measure—only to the degree needed to reshape and remold him into what and who he needs to be.
The word “discipline” is closely related to “disciple,” and when used as verbs they have similar meanings; both are about reshaping a person from the inside out.

-Rev. Mark Fleming

Saturday meditation

Job 18:1-21
Then Bildad the Shuhite replied: “When will you end these speeches? Be sensible, and then we can talk. Why are we regarded as cattle and considered stupid in your sight? You who tear yourself to pieces in your anger, is the earth to be abandoned for your sake? Or must the rocks be moved from their place?
“The lamp of a wicked man is snuffed out; the flame of his fire stops burning. The light in his tent becomes dark; the lamp beside him goes out. The vigor of his step is weakened; his own schemes throw him down. His feet thrust him into a net; he wanders into its mesh. A trap seizes him by the heel; a snare holds him fast. A noose is hidden for him on the ground; a trap lies in his path. Terrors startle him on every side and dog his every step. Calamity is hungry for him; disaster is ready for him when he falls. It eats away parts of his skin; death’s firstborn devours his limbs. He is torn from the security of his tent and marched off to the king of terrors. Fire resides in his tent; burning sulfur is scattered over his dwelling. His roots dry up below and his branches wither above. The memory of him perishes from the earth; he has no name in the land. He is driven from light into the realm of darkness and is banished from the world. He has no offspring or descendants among his people, no survivor where once he lived. People of the west are appalled at his fate; those of the east are seized with horror. Surely such is the dwelling of an evil man; such is the place of one who does not know God.”

Prayer focus
Discipline me, Lord, but only in due measure—not in your anger, or you will reduce me to nothing.