But to the wicked God says:
“What right have you to declare My statutes,
Or take My covenant in your mouth,
Seeing you hate instruction
And cast My words behind you?”

  - Psalm 50.16, 17

Far from his friends was Coemgen steadfastly among the crags; nobly and alone he saw the order which was brought to the brink of the fair lough. At night he would rise without fear to perform his devotions in his fort; there he would early recite his hours [prayers] standing habitually in the lough up to his girdle.

  - Life of Coemgen, Irish, 17th century from an earlier ms.

One of the aspects of Celtic Christianity I appreciate so much is their commitment to a disciplined life.

People like Coemgen, Columbanus, Patrick, and others spent long hours in the Word and prayer, in fasting and singing, wandering in solitude and reflecting on the glory of God in creation, and subjecting their bodies to rigors designed to heighten trust in God and mortify the flesh, so that they could glorify God in every moment of their lives.

They also practiced specific disciplines designed to promote unity and maturity in love, to make the best use of the resources available to them, to create lasting and beautiful forms of culture, and to seek and save lost human beings.

The disciplines by which Celtic Christians organized the time of their lives were often encoded in rules of community practice, so that not only leaders but also lay men and women could share in the fruit of the disciplined life (see the series of articles on “Living to Rule” which begins here).

This disciplined life prepared them well for martyrdom of one kind or another – whether “white martyrdom,” which meant believing so sincerely that you would be ready, if called, to leave everything familiar and safe to take up the ministry of the Word; “green martyrdom” which saw a monk heading off on his own to live off the land and start a new community of believers; or “red martyrdom” with its obvious implications of dying for the Gospel.

Yeah, not the sort of stuff we learn in Sunday school these days. Or even in our Bible study groups. Or, frankly, from the pulpit.

Let’s be honest: we’re not much into discipline, not like our Celtic forebears, anyway. We may not “hate” discipline (the Hebrew word for “instruction” in Ps. 50.17), but we don’t embrace it the way Scripture commends, as providing correction, direction, and spiritual power for every aspect and every moment of our lives.

Over the past 30 years of ministry I’ve talked with a great many pastors, and have asked them about this matter. Almost to a man they admit to me that their disciplines are, well, lacking, beginning with their spiritual disciplines. They make little time for prayer. Most of their Bible reading and study is for something they’re preparing to preach or teach. Fasting? Nope. Solitude? Nope. Singing or contemplating creation? Nope. And as for the other disciplines which should structure the rest of the time of their lives, most pastors I know don’t seem to be all that familiar with them.

I wouldn’t say these men hate discipline, but you can surmise from their practice where they stand.

If the disciplined life is in such disarray among the ministers of our churches, what’s it like among the lay people? Do they check their Bibles at church on Sunday morning, casting the Word of God behind them as they head off to take up their “real lives” again?

Is prayer more than a perfunctory duty performed at mealtimes, bedtimes, and when they need something from God?

And what about those other Biblical disciplines that teach us how to use our time for relating to others, doing our work, and living together as a community of believers? Do we even have a clue?

In Psalm 50 God had a warning for those who “hate discipline.” He said they were wicked, and He did not consider them fit to take His covenant on their lips! They claimed to be His people, but there was no evidence that anyone but they themselves were king over their undisciplined lives.

Following Jesus costs. If we aren’t willing to sacrifice time, diversions, or busy-ness to make more time with the Lord, and if we’re not willing to bring all the time of our lives under God’s program, what is He to conclude but that we seem to love ourselves and other things more than we love Him?

How is it with you?

Got discipline?

Psalm 50.1-4, 16-23 (Austrian Hymn: “Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken”)
God, the Lord, the mighty Savior, summons all from east to west:
Out of Zion, rich with favor, shines He, of all things the best.
Come, O God, and keep not silence; fire devours before Your way!
He His Church, steeped in defiance, comes to judge this awful day.

“All of you My Word despising, who are you to claim My grace?
Praise may from your lips be rising, but you scorn Me to My face.
You approve of all transgressions, scheme against your mother’s son!
I will crush your vain aggressions and destroy what you have done.

“Reckon this, My sinful people, lest My wrath consume you whole:
None shall thwart Me when I seek to  crush and break your sin-stiff soul.
He who thanks to Me addressing, follows after what is good,
He shall know the way of blessing coming from the hand of God.”

Help me get my disciplines in better shape, O Lord, so that I might meet You in Your glory.

Hope for a disciplined life!
As you might suppose, we’re willing to help you become more disciplined in your walk with the Lord. We’ve prepared a worksheet to help you review and evaluate the state of your disciplines, and to begin making better use of the time God gives you for seeking and advancing His Kingdom.

And, of course, it’s free. Just write to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., and I’ll send you the Disciplines Worksheet so that you can take a hard look at how you answer the question posed by today’s Crosfigell.

It’s our privilege and pleasure to offer you such resources, and we hope you appreciate them, use them, and pass them along to others. Thanks to those of you who have expressed your gratitude for and confidence in our ministry by your gifts to The Fellowship of Ailbe. I want to encourage more of you to do so. You can contribute to The Fellowship with your credit card by clicking the donate button here (at the top) or at the website, or by sending your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Dr., Essex Junction, VT 05452.

Thanks very much.

Psalms to Pray for Today and Tuesday
Today
Morning: Psalm 119.81-88; Psalm 24
Evening: Psalm 99

Tuesday
Morning: Psalm 119.89-96; Psalm 25
Evening: Psalm 100

T. M. Moore, Principal
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

All Psalms for singing from The Ailbe Psalter. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.