The United Methodist Church Prays of Nashville, Tennessee, United States for Wednesday, 23 August 2017 "See Me"

The United Methodist Church Prays of Nashville, Tennessee, United States for Wednesday, 23 August 2017 "See Me"

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2017
A Word from John Wesley
Q. What advice would you give to those that do, and those that do not, call them so [sins]?
A. Let those that do not call them sins never think that themselves or any other persons are in such a state as that they can stand before infinite justice without a Mediator. This must argue either the deepest ignorance, or the highest arrogance and presumption. Let those who do call them so, beware how they confound these defects with sins, properly so called. But how will they avoid it? how will these be distinguished from those, if they are all promiscuously called sins? I am much afraid, if we should allow any sins to be consistent with perfection, few would confine the idea to those defects concerning which only the assertion could be true. [John Wesley, The Character of a Methodist, ¶19.]
A Hymn from Charles Wesley
1. Lord, regard my earnest cry,
A potsherd of the earth,
A poor, guilty worm am I,
A Canaanite by birth.
Save me from this tyranny,
From all the power of Satan save;
Mercy, mercy upon me,
Thou Son of David, have!
2. To the sheep of Israel’s fold
Thou in thy flesh wast sent;
Yet the Gentiles now behold
In thee their covenant.
See me then, with pity see,
A sinner whom thou cam’st to save!
Mercy, mercy, upon me,
Thou Son of David, have! (Collection-1781, #158:1 & 2).
Questions for Reflection:

1. In John Wesley’s description of the character of a Methodist he wants believers to know that Jesus Christ can save them from all sin, to give them a clean heart and soul on the one hand; and, at the same time he makes it clear that believers are always dependent on Christ for our salvation. We are never in a place of spiritual independence from Christ–we are always in a place of glorious interdependence. Why is this important to John Wesley? Is it important to you?
2. The gift and the challenge of the Wesleyan way of discipleship is this vision of Christian perfect—not human perfection. Every man and woman can be perfected in love, guided by love, and fully alive in Christ. Every person! What difference would this make for you? For your family? For your church?
3. What is the meaning of Charles Wesley’s hymn for us today?
4. This hymn implies God’s mercy is free for all and needed by all. What are your thoughts about this? Would your spiritual friends agree or disagree?

Prayer,*
Holy One of Israel, covenant keeper, you restore what is lost, heal what is wounded, and gather in those who have been rejected. Give us the faith to speak as steadfastly as did the Canaanite woman, that the outcast may be welcomed and all people may be blessed. 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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