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