The Free Grace of God for Wednesday, 15 February 2017 from The United Methodist Church Prays in Nashville, Tennessee, United States

The Free Grace of God for Wednesday, 15 February 2017 from The United Methodist Church Prays in Nashville, Tennessee, United States

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2017
A Word from John Wesley
“FREE GRACE is all in all! …It does not depend on any power or merit in man. …It does not in any way depend either on the good works or righteousness of the receiver; not on anything he has done, or anything he is. It does not depend on his endeavors. It does not depend on his good tempers, or good desires, or good purposes and intentions; for all these flow from the free Grace of God; they are the streams only, not the fountain. They are the fruits of free Grace, and not the root. They are not the cause, but the effects of it.”[John Wesley’s sermon “Free Grace”.]
A Hymn from Charles Wesley
His love surpassing far
The love of all beneath,
We find within our hearts, and dare
The pointless darts of death.
Stronger than death or hell
The mystic power we prove;
And conqu’rors of the world,
we dwell in heaven, who dwell in love.
We by his Spirit prove
And know the things of God;
The things which freely of his love
He hath on us bestowed:
His Spirit to us he gave,
And dwells in us, we know;
The witness in ourselves we have,
And all his fruits we show.(Collection-1781, #93:3)
Questions for Reflection:

1. In John Wesley’s description of free grace above, what can you affirm and celebrate?
2. John Wesley says that God is the source and that grace is free to all and free for all. Who can you think of that needs to hear of God’s free grace today?
3. What do you think Charles Wesley means when he writes:
4. “Stronger than death or hell
5. The mystic power we prove;
6. And conqu’rors of the world,
7. we dwell in heaven, who dwell in love.”?
8. Where do you see and experience the “mystic power” of love for God and neighbor?

Prayer
Divine Gardener, you give growth to our seeds and to the towering forest trees; you raise to abundant life that which seems dead. Teach us to choose blessing and life rather than death, so that we may walk blamelessly, seeking you through reconciliation with all your children. Amen.
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Excerpts from the book 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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