O Lord, Correct Me
 

Prayer shows our deepest beliefs, and we see this
in Jeremiah’s prayer at the end of this chapter.
 

First, Jeremiah knew people cannot rule well
without God’s help (Jeremiah 10:23). Even though
people may feel smart or powerful, they cannot
truly govern themselves or the world because of
sin. That’s why we don’t pray to other people, no
matter how important they are. The Bible says, “All
people are like grass” (First Peter 1:24), and people’s
power is weak (Isaiah 36:6).
 

Second, Jeremiah understood that God alone has
unchanging power. He calls God “the living God,
and an everlasting king” (Jeremiah 10:10). Real
prayer starts with knowing God is in control and
trusting His word. This is why reading the Bible and
praying go together.
 

Third, Jeremiah knew he needed God’s correction
(Jeremiah 10:24). He wasn’t perfect and admitted
his pain and weakness, saying, “This is my sorrow,
and I must bear it” (Jeremiah 10:19). In prayer, we
can admit our sins and ask God to shape us for His
glory.
 

Finally, Jeremiah deeply cared about his people.
Even though they turned from God, he still prayed
for them to be restored. May we pray faithfully for
others, too.
 

Adapted from David Newell, “July 4th: O Lord, Correct
Me (Jeremiah 10:23–25),” in Day by Day in Prayer, ed.