We rejoice that Christ has come into the world and it is the third day of Christmas. We look to the Wesley brothers to help us pray for love, joy, and peace.
A Word from John Wesley:
Q. By what “fruit of the Spirit” may we “know that we are of God,” even in the highest sense?
A. By love, joy, peace, always abiding; by invariable long-suffering, patience, resignation; by gentleness, triumphing over all provocation; by goodness, mildness, sweetness, tenderness of spirit; by fidelity, simplicity, godly sincerity; by meekness, calmness, evenness of spirit; by temperance, not only in food and sleep, but in all things natural and spiritual. (John Wesley, The Character of a Methodist, ¶25.)
A Hymn from Charles Wesley:
1. Father our hearts we lift,
Up to thy gracious throne,
And bless thee for the precious gift,
Of thine incarnate Son:
The gift unspeakable,
We thankfully receive,
And to the world thy goodness tell,
And to thy glory live.
2. Jesus the holy child,
Doth by his birth declare,
That God and man are reconciled,
And one in him we are:
Salvation through his name
To all mankind is given,
And loud his infant cries proclaim,
A peace ’twixt earth and heaven. (Hymns for the Nativity of Our Lord-1745, #9:1-2)
Questions for Reflection:
- In John Wesley’s description of the character of a Methodist he makes it clear that the Christian is nothing and is to be filled with the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Do you agree or disagree with Wesley’s unique list of character qualities above?
- What is the meaning of Charles Wesley’s hymn for us today?
- Do you agree with Charles Wesley’s bold statement “Jesus the holy child, / Doth by his birth declare, / That God and man are reconciled / And one in him we are”?
O God of Elizabeth and Mary, you visited your servants with news of the world’s redemption in the coming of the Savior. Make our hearts leap with joy, and fill our mouths with songs of praise, that we may announce glad tidings of peace, and welcome the Christ in our midst. 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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