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MEDITATION:

Written by Steve Harper, a retired seminary professor and author.  This is from his book “Devotional Life in the Wesleyan Tradition.”

John Wesley knew that an objective standard was necessary for genuine spirituality. For him, that standard was the Bible. He was committed to the centrality and authority of scripture. Although Wesley read hundreds of books on a wide range of subjects, he continually referred to himself as homo unis libri – a man of one book. Even though he published approximately six hundred works on various themes, he resolutely maintained that he allowed no rule, whether of faith or practice, other than the Holy Scriptures. In the preface to his Standard Sermons Wesley explains, “O give me that book! At any price, give me the book of God!…Here is knowledge enough for me.”

PRAYER:

This prayer to the Holy Spirit is from The Book of Prayers.

Lord,

by the light of the Holy Spirit

you have taught the hearts of your faithful.

In the same Spirit

help us to relish what is right

and always rejoice in your consolation.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Joann Wolski Conn, a contemporary professor of counseling and author. This is an excerpt from her book “Women’s Spirituality.”

Spirituality as life experience and as a field of study is no longer identified simply with asceticism and mysticism, or with the practice of virtue and methods of prayer. From the perspective of the actualization of the human capacity to be spiritual encompasses all of life. In general, religious spirituality is a matter of the experience and/or study of the actualization of human self-transcendence by the Holy, by Ultimate Concern—that is, by what is acknowledged as “religious.” Specifically, Christian spirituality involves the actualization of this human capacity through the experience of God, in Jesus the Christ, through the gift of the Spirit. Because this God, Jesus, and the Spirit are experienced through body-community-history-influenced human life and symbols, Christian spirituality includes every dimension of human life. Thus, Christian spiritual development cannot legitimately be identified as soul development, nor be exclusively associated with development in prayer and virtue. To be adequately experienced and studied, it should be viewed as total human development.

PRAYER:

This prayer is adapted from Colossians 1:9-12.

God fill us with the knowledge of your will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. May we live a life worthy of you Lord, and may we please you in every way. May we bear fruit in every good work, grow in the knowledge of you, God, and be strengthened with all power according to your glorious might.  Provide us with great endurance and patience.  We joyfully give thanks to you, Lord God. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Oswald Chambers (1874-1917), a Scottish evangelist and teacher.  This is an excerpt from his book “My Utmost for His Highest.” 

We are apt to forget the mystical, supernatural touch of God. If you can tell where you got the call of God and all about it, I question whether you have ever had a call. The call of God does not come like that, it is much more supernatural. The realization of it in a man’s life may come with a sudden thunder-clap or with a gradual dawning, but in whatever way it comes, it comes with the undercurrent of the supernatural, something that cannot be put into words, it is always accompanied with a glow. At any moment there may break the sudden consciousness of this incalculable, supernatural, surprising call that has taken hold of your life — “I have chosen you.”

If you have been obliterating the great supernatural call of God in your life, take a review of your circumstances and see where God has not been first, but your ideas of service, or your temperamental abilities. Paul said — “Woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” He had realized the call of God, and there was no competitor for his strength. If a man or woman is called of God, it does not matter how untoward circumstances are, every force that has been at work will tell for God’s purpose in the end. If you agree with God’s purpose. He will bring not only your conscious life, but all the deeper regions of your life which you cannot get at, into harmony.

PRAYER:

Written by Natalie Regoli, a contemporary Christian author and lawyer.

O God of Enduring Faithfulness, I believe in You and want to follow You in my actions every day. I want to learn from You, by studying Your word and listening to others teach it. I ask today that You open my eyes. Open my eyes to the Holy Spirit. Soften my heart as You did Pharaoh. Flow Your holy words through my mouth. Keep the devil out of my path to You, Lord. Allow me to spread the good word for You as Jesus’ disciples did for Him. Make me into Your holy servant. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Steve Harper, a contemporary retired minister and seminary professor. This is an excerpt from his book “Devotional Life in the Wesleyan Tradition.”  

We take a giant step forward in Christian devotion when we see it more as a life to be lived than as a time to be observed. Consequently, it is more appropriate to speak of a “devotional life” than a “devotional time.” When we study Wesley’s spirituality, we see this coming through loud and clear. He never divided his life into compartments. For him, the essence of life was spiritual. All of it could properly be called devotional.

PRAYER:

Written by John Wesley (1703-1791), an English cleric, theologian and evangelist who was a leader of a revival movement within the Church of England known as Methodism. This is known as the Methodist Covenant Prayer.

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. Le 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.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Thomas Merton (1915-1968), an American Trappist monk, writer, theologian, mystic, poet, social activist and scholar of comparative religion. This is an excerpt from his book “Spiritual Direction and Meditation.”

Now the Fathers of the Church well understood the importance of certain “holy leisure” – otium sanctum. We cannot give ourselves to spiritual things if we are always swept off our feet by a multitude of external activities. Business is not the supreme virtue, and sanctity is not measured by the amount of work we accomplish. Perfection is found in the purity of our love for God, and this pure love is a delicate plant that grows best where there is plenty of time for it to mature.

PRAYER:

Written by Erasmus (1466-1536), a Dutch Renaissance classical scholar, humanist, priest, social critic, teacher and theologian.

Lord Jesus Christ,

you have said that you are the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Do not allow us to stray from you, who are the Way,

not to distrust you, who are the Truth,

nor to rest in anything other than you, who are the Life. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by James C. Fenhagen (1929-2012), an Episcopal rector, author, theological educator, seminary president, and lecturer. This is an excerpt from his book “Invitation to Holiness.”

The gift of holiness—which is in reality the gift of our full humanity—is received when we are able to see the world in a new way, when in faith we are able to discern and respond to God’s vision of the world through the eyes of Christ. This kind of seeing is the fruit of a contemplative vision—a vision that can only be nourished in solitude and in prayer. Prayer for the Christian, therefore, is not something added to our lives, something extra we do, but rather it is as fundamental to our lives as the act of breathing. It is through prayer that we are caught up in the rhythm and the energy of the Kingdom that is amongst us and learn to see in a new way.

PRAYER:

Written by Augustine of Hippo (354-430), an early Christian theologian and philosopher. He was the bishop of Hippo Regius (modern-day Annaba, Algeria) and is viewed as one of the most important church fathers in Western Christianity.

Almighty Father, come into our hearts, and so fill us with your love that forsaking all evil desires, we may embrace you our only good. Show us, O Lord our God, what you are to us. Say to our souls, I am your salvation, speak so that we may hear. Our hearts are before You; open our ears; let us hasten after your voice. Hide not your face from us, we beseech you, O  Lord. Open our hearts so that you may enter in. Repair the ruined mansions, that you may dwell therein. Hear us, O Heavenly Father, for the sake of your only son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever, Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Anthony of Sourozh (1914-2003), a writer and broadcaster of prayer and the Christian life. He was a monk and Metropolitan bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church. This is an excerpt from this work “Meditations on a Theme.”

In other words, you choose your life, that is to say, you choose all the conditions of your life, when you choose the thoughts upon which you allow your mind to dwell. Thought is the real causative force in life, and there is no other. You cannot have one kind of mind and another kind of environment. This means that you cannot change your environment while leaving your mind unchanged, nor, — and this is the supreme key to life and the reason for this pamphlet—can you change your mind without your environment changing too. This then is the real key to life: if you change your mind your conditions must change too—your body must change, your daily work or other activities much change; your home must change; the color-tone of your whole life must change – for whether you be habitually happy and cheerful, or low-spirited and fearful, depends entirely on the quality of the mental food upon which you diet yourself. Please be very clear about this. If you change your mind your conditions must change too. We are transformed by the renewing of our minds. So now you will see that your mental diet is really the most important thing in your whole life.

PRAYER:

From the Saram Primer, a book of prayers and Christian worship resources from the 1500s, collected at the Salisbury Cathedral.

May the Father, who created all things in the beginning, bless you.

May the  Son of God heal you.

May the Holy Spirit enlighten you,

guard your body, save your soul,

direct your thoughts, and bring you safe to the heavenly country, where he lives and reigns,

God, in a perfect Trinity,

forever and ever. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Maria Boulding (1929-2009), an English nun, writer, and translator. This is an excerpt from her book “The Coming of God.”

The listening which can go on all day amid a variety of occupations is concentrated when we give up time to be alone with God in prayer. Prayer is an exposure to the reality of God. For those who pray regularly the time may come fairly soon when particular thoughts or words no longer seem to help. Prayer seems to have gone dead. The relationship is moving into a new phase, and you have to learn to change gear. At other times you may be able to find as much inspiration as ever in the Scriptures, in thinking about God and in the experiences that generally mediate his word to you, but when you try any of this in the time of prayer, you have the impression that this and real prayer are mutually exclusive. To be spending the time on that is somehow to dodge the issue. This can be a distressing and disconcerting experience, but it may be another “creative disintegration” and the way through to contemplative prayer.  Provided that you are refusing God nothing, you can probably trust the inclination to let it ride a bit. Wait in silence, attentiveness, stillness, just aware of God in some dim way and of your need of [God], but without particular efforts to formulate ideas or words, except perhaps just to bring yourself gently back when you stray. It is baffling and disconcerting, but in some way all-important to you to stay there like that in darkness and quiet.

PRAYER:

Written by Jacquie Riker, a contemporary pastor.

In the joy of your heart, Your light remains.

In the gift of your caring, Your light remains

Where you reached out to help, Your light remains.

Where you sat in silent peace, Your light remains.

In the place where you worked, Your light remains

In the stillness of the starry night, Your light remains

In the light of each day fully embraced, Your light remains.

Like the touch of an Angel, Your light remains.

When you live as a light, Your heart is joined in the Infinite Light of Love.

And that about you which is eternal … remains.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Pam DePuydt, a contemporary author.

As Jesus and the apostles walked to the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus comforts them, explaining many things, telling them they will do greater works than He had done.  However, there is a catch.  In order for them to do all these things, to believe all these things, to trust all these things, they must abide. 

Abide? How does one do that? The Greek tells us they were to “remain or continue.”   So, continue following His teachings and examples and ways, as though He would always be with them.  One of the Hebrew translations would have them to “cleave, follow close, join together as if glued.” A vine is connected to the branch in a symbiotic relationship. Others see this not as symbiotic but connected.  Whichever it is, without the Branch, fruit cannot be born, for it is in the Branch the lifeblood flows.  Abide? Me? How do I do that? Cleave myself to Jesus.  Continue in His Word daily, musing over the wisdom and knowledge and precepts.  Follow the teachings and much fruit will be born.  The fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Let myself be the vine that wraps itself around the Branch, so much so, that without the Branch, I wither and die.  Glue myself so much to His Word, that to rip the Word out of me, would rip out my very heart. And if I don’t abide, what then?  Then it becomes spiritual suicide. Those who are not Christ-followers don’t understand this, for they don’t know what it is to have an abundant life, filled with joy amidst sorrow and hardships.  For those of us who follow after and love Jesus our Messiah, it is essential to our well-being and that of everyone we come in contact with, for our “vine” to remain in the Branch. Oh, sure, we can fake it, but after a time, people will know; you will know.  Then what? You either wither and die or come crawling back to the foot of the Cross, to the One Who washed you clean and ask Him to “wash your feet.” Confession and repentance is not just a one-time deal. The “one-time” confession gives us eternal life, the ongoing confession and repentance is the sanctification of my life.  It’s the journey, leaving my old ways and cleaving to the ways of Jesus. It’s becoming a vine growing because of the Living Water, on the Living Branch that overshadows the Cross on which my Savior died.  It’s continually being washed by the water of the Word. To abide is to continually confess to Jesus that I can’t live my life without Him.  He knows that. He told His disciples that.  He told me that, and you, and anyone else who will read His Word.

PRAYER:

From The Leonine Sacramentary, the earliest surviving collection of Roman Mass formularies and ordination prayers from the early 7th century.

Grant us, O Lord, not to mind earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away , to cleave to those that shall abide; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Wil Pounds, a contemporary writer and director of missions at Abide in Christ.

The secret to fellowship and fruitfulness in the Christian life is abiding in Christ. “Remain in me, and I will remain in you.” This is not salvation; it is communion. We are to live such lives that Christ will continue to abide in us. This is our responsibility. You cannot separate these two abidings because it is necessary for this vital union in Christ. We abide by being available to Him and obedient to His Word. We can never be kept from sin and in intimate fellowship with Him except by careful attention to God’s Word. The Holy Spirit applies His word to our daily lives and the blood of Jesus continues to cleanse us of all sin. This is the Father’s pruning effort upon our daily lives. Without Christ the most eloquent preaching and Bible discussion will be like a bottle of mist that quickly evaporates into thin air. Without Him we can do nothing. Let those words penetrate to the depths of your soul. I am nothing; Christ is everything.

To “abide in Christ” is a conscious experience. The fact that our lives are producing the fruit of the Spirit demonstrates that we are “in” Christ and abiding in Him. The fruit of Christ’s character in us is expressed in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. When we look into the face of Jesus that is what we see. When our Lord says: Abide in Me He is talking about the will, about the choices and the decisions we make. It is a volitional choice we make whereby we decide to do that which exposes us to Him and keeps us in contact with Him. We have been placed into Christ by the Holy Spirit. Now we must choose to maintain that fellowship by the decisions we make. We choose to expose ourselves to His Word in order to learn about Him and to relate to Him. To remain in union with Christ, to abide in Christ, to dwell or continue in Him means you are already in Him. To “abide in Christ” is for those who are “in Christ.”

PRAYER:

From The Mozarabic Rite, a liturgical rite of the Latin Church once used generally in the Iberian Peninsula (Hispania), in what is now Spain and Portugal.  Developed during Visigoth (Arian Christian) rule of the Iberian Peninsula in the 500s AD.

Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, and the brightness of your Spirit illumine our inward souls, that He may kindle our cold hearts, and light up our dark minds; who abideth evermore with you in your glory. Amen.

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