The United Methodist Church Prays in Nashville, Tennessee, United States for Wednesday, 8 November 2017 "Love is Long Suffering"

The United Methodist Church Prays in Nashville, Tennessee, United States for Wednesday, 8 November 2017 "Love is Long Suffering"

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2017
A Word from John Wesley:
Q. What love is this?
A. The loving the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength; and the loving our neighbor, everyone, as ourselves, as our own souls.
Q. What are the fruits or properties of this love?
A. St. Paul informs us at large: “Love is long suffering.” It suffers all the weaknesses of the children of God, all the wickedness of the children of the world; and that not for a little time only, but as long as God pleases. In all, it sees the hand of God, and willingly submits thereto. Meantime, it is “kind.” In all, and after all, it suffers, it is soft, mild, tender, benign. (John Wesley, The Character of a Methodist, ¶25.)
A Hymn from Charles Wesley:
1. Jesu, united by thy grace,
And each to each endeared,
With confidence we seek thy face,
And know our prayer is heard.
2. Still let us own our common Lord,
And bear thine easy yoke,
A band of love, a threefold cord
Which never can be broke.
3. Make us into one Spirit drink,
Baptize into thy name,
And let us always kindly think,
And sweetly speak the same.
4. Touched by the loadstone of thy love,
Let all our hearts agree,
And ever towards each other move,
And ever move towards thee. (Collection-1781, #490: 1-4)
Questions for Reflection:

1. In John Wesley’s description of the character of a Methodist he states boldly, “Love is long suffering.” What does he mean by this? What does it mean to you? How will you live this truth today?
2. The gift and the challenge of the Wesleyan way of discipleship is this vision of Christian perfection. If the United Methodist Church focused on this—what difference would it make in your life? In your family? In your church? In the world?
3. How would the insights Charles Wesley’s hymn help us?

Prayer: Your steadfast love endures from age to age, O living God, for in Christ you tenderly care for your people. Instruct us in your way of humble service, that we may imitate his saving deeds who humbled himself for our salvation and is now exalted with you in splendor for ever and ever. Amen.

The Wesley excerpts are from A Disciple’s Journal—2017: A Guide for Daily Prayer, Bible Reading, and Discipleship, by Steven W. Manskar. Copyright © 2017 Discipleship Resources, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved. Used by permission. The prayer is reprinted with permission from Revised Common Lectionary Prayers, copyright © 2002, Consultation on Common Texts.

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