I was thinking about the making of new year resolutions. I realized, I have made them and not fulfilled them. And I keep making them. There is something about a beginning that gives us the resolve to start new, try change things, be better. And we certainly all know we can do better.
I have also, prayed the covenant prayer of John Wesley.
- I am no longer my own, but thine.
- Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
- Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
- Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,
- exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
- Let me be full, let me be empty.
- Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
- I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
- And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
- thou art mine, and I am thine.
- So be it.
- And the covenant which I have made on earth,
- let it be ratified in heaven.
- Amen.
- I have found that helpful in setting a spiritual pattern. I like to use it at the start of the new year in worship. I have also been thinking of how much time I waste, and I am praying with God to not waste these days this year. I am praying to God to not let me waste my time I spend with my family this year. And not to waste my time with God. I am also aware that I have not always done a good job of taking care of this body that God gave me, this earthly temple. I am praying that I do a better job taking care of myself, my body, my health this year. And I have been thinking about how I don't always listen to God, I get myself going in so many ways, I just don't get still, close out the all the other things from my mind and stop and listen. I pray that I do a better job of stopping, centering, and listening to God. These are a few things I have been thinking about, and praying about. And these I covenant with God.
8 comments:
Abi, thanks for visiting my blog. I am grateful that you reminded me of John Wesley's covenant prayer. A hard prayer, but one that may a discipline I need to renew.
The Calvin cartoon is so cute! Thanks for the chuckle, too.
Wesley's prayer is so powerful, i really have to consider and ask myself if i'm really prepared to pray it.
you've made some beautiful and powerful resolutions. many blessings for 2008 and thank you for being a blessing in my life! i look forward to seeing what 2008 brings for all of us!
In our baptismal covenant we promise certain things, "Do you" or "Will you" and then we respond, "I will with God's help." I pray your covenant abides with you, and with God's help.
Blessed New Year!
I love the covenant prayer. It always helps me to begin the year in a good place with God. Thanks for posting it here.
Happy New Year!
I love that prayer - I am amazed that I have not heard it while attending the Methodist Seminary!! Thank you for sharing this - it is especially meningful to me this week through the testing.
If you recieve any divine intervention for motivation to honor the body/temple, please pass it along - I could use that also.
Great prayer! Amen. May it be so. Blessings.
Happy New Year, Abi! May it be fruitful, and may you find the will to keep those resolutions!
Good prayer! And, regarding your comment on my post on the 29th ... Hot Cup did a great sermon on the passage regarding killing of all the infants, which she posted. And, our youth director also tackled it, pointing out that immediately following that beautiful picture we have drawn of silent, holy night, King Herod orders killing of 2 year olds and Mary & Joseph have to flee ... unexpected chaos interrupting the "peace" ... making the point that there is always evil ... then and now ... and God promises to be with us and sends us Christ, the light in the darkness.
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