Daily Devotions

So, tomorrow, in our Covenant Service at St Nicholas Methodist Church, the congregation will be invited pray the prayer below. Perhaps there is nothing more to say than to ponder these words carefully and prayerfully. The prayer and service are considered a distinctive contribution of Methodism to Protestantism, and highlights core Methodist values, such as the desire to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and the importance of serving God and others. 

But before we do that read what others say about the Covenant Prayer.

• It is is a central part of the Christian life, and that it has many benefits
• Some say the prayer's final words, "you are mine and I am yours", are a reminder that we live and pray in God's strength, not our own. 
• The prayer can help people refocus their lives on God and realign their mission with God's. 
• The prayer helps people remember what it means to love their neighbour and to renounce evil powers. 
• The prayer is often used to renew commitment to Christ and the Church at the start of the year. 
  
  
  I am no longer my own but yours.
  Put me to what you will,
  rank me with whom you will;
  put me to doing,
  put me to suffering;
  let me be employed for you,
  or laid aside for you,
  exalted for you,
  or brought low for you;
  let me be full,
  let me be empty,
  let me have all things,
  let me have nothing:
  I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things
  to your pleasure and disposal.
  And now, glorious and blessed God,
  Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
  you are mine and I am yours. So be it.
  And the covenant now made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen

Daily Devotions

The next part of the Methodist Covenant prayer has the phrase, “I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things to your pleasure and disposal.”

It is so easy to say that we are committed to doing whatever the Lord wants us to do. Then we come to the Lord with a long list of our plans and ask the Lord to bless our self-created schedule . I once heard of George Murray, a missionary to Italy, who asked a crowd “what is your idea of commitment?” Holding out a blank sheet of paper he said “Is it to sign your name at the bottom of this blank sheet, and to let God fill it in as He wills?”

It was Watchman Nee the great Chinese Christian who claimed, “Outside of Christ, I am only a sinner, but in Christ, I am saved. Outside of Christ, I am empty; in Christ, I am full. Outside of Christ, I am weak; in Christ, I am strong. Outside of Christ, I cannot; in Christ, I am more than able. Outside of Christ, I have been defeated; in Christ, I am already victorious. How meaningful are the words, "in Christ.”

Paul writing to the Romans spoke of such commitment as, “I urge you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice—holy, acceptable to God—which is your spiritual service. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2

I love the way that J B Phillips paraphrases the above verse, “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.”

LORD God, Father, help us by the Holy Spirit to walk victoriously each day as we lay our lives down for Jesus’ sake.  Help us to walk worthy of our calling, to be bold witnesses for You.  Help us to be transformed by the power of Your Word and not be moulded to the ways of the world.  We ask this in Jesus’ Name, Amen

Daily Devotions

Another part of the Covenant prayer and probably  the most daunting is, “Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will; put me to doing, put me to suffering;

let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you, exalted for you, or brought low for you; let me be full, let me be empty, let me have all things, let me have nothing:

It was the great Baptist preacher who advised his congregation to “Settle this in your heart: Whether I am up or down, the Lord Jesus is the same. Whether I sing or sigh, the promise is true and the Promiser is faithful. Whether I stand on the summit or am hidden in the vale the covenant stands fast and everlasting love abides.”

Paul Washer another preacher and evangelist had a seminary student who sent him a message. The student was afraid that he was too bad to enter the ministry. He sent him a message that simply said, "I think I am too wicked to be in the ministry." And Paul Washer wrote him back and said, "You are right. In fact, you don't know how wicked you are.”

The young man replied, "Thanks a lot.”

Then Washer replied, "Friend, your heart is for the Lord, and your life is lived in service to him. Your level of sanctification and commitment puts me to shame at times. But I am happy and you are not. Do you know why? Because I have chosen to trust in Christ, and you are still, in part, trying to trust in yourself.”

The problem most followers of Jesus have with assurance of salvation is that they have not reached the place where they can stop trusting themselves and start trusting Christ.

The writer of Proverbs puts it so simply yet so profoundly, “Place your trust in the Eternal; rely on Him completely; never depend upon your own ideas and inventions. Give Him the credit for everything you accomplish, and He will smooth out and straighten the road that lies ahead.” (The Voice Version Proverbs 3:5-6)

Loving Father, I want to commit all my ways to You and trust implicitly in Your Word. I know that You have a plan for my life which I can hinder when I seek to do things my way. Keep me ever looking to Jesus, in Whose name I pray, AMEN.

Daily Devotions

On this New Year’s day, the sense of intention is all too apparent as we face a new year. But, for the followers of Jesus, it is not just a New Year Resolution to be realised, but a life unfolding through the Grace of Jesus Christ. 

One writer suggests ’The Covenant of Grace is that eternal and intimate bond of friendship that God has established with his people in the Lord Jesus Christ; in which he is their sovereign friend and they are his servant friends; and in which God gives to them a communion of life with him and a sovereignly dictated order of life.’ Joe Morecraft

Timothy Paul Jones, in his book Proof, a paradigm-shifting book on God’s outrageous, irresistible grace tells the story of taking his adopted daughter to Disney World. 

When she finally experienced the Magic Kingdom, here was her response: “Daddy, I finally got to go to Disney World. But it wasn’t because I was good; it’s because I’m yours.”

In the Wesleyan Covenant prayer this concept is focused in the words, “I am no longer my own, but yours!”

The essence of the covenant prayer is reflected in Psalm 37:5-6, “Open up before God, keep nothing back; he’ll do whatever needs to be done: He’ll validate your life in the clear light of day and stamp you with approval at high noon.” (The Message)

Lord, help me to relax in your Covenant of Grace.

Take from me the tension

that makes peace impossible.

Take from me the fears

that do not allow me to venture.

Take from me the worries

that blind my sight.

Take from me the distress

that hides your joy.

Help me to know

that I am with you,

that I am in your care,

that I am in your love,

that you and I are one. Amen