Thursday, December 24, 2015

The Wesley Covenant Prayer

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.

—as used in the Book of Offices of the British Methodist Church, 1936.


The new year is a great time to renew our covenant with God.
Happy New Year!
~~ Dave

'Twas the Night Before Jesus Came

'Twas the night before Jesus came
and all through the house
Not a creature was praying,
not one in the house.
Their Bibles were lain on the shelf without care...
...in hopes that Jesus would not come there.

The children were dressing to crawl into bed,
Not once ever kneeling or bowing a head.
And Mom in her rocker with baby on her lap
Was watching the Late Show while I took a nap.

When out of the East there arose such a clatter,
I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash!

When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But angels proclaiming that Jesus was here.
With a light like the sun sending forth a bright ray
I knew in a moment this must be THE DAY!

The light of His Face made me cover my head
It was Jesus! returning just like He had said.
And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth,
I cried when I saw Him in spite of myself.

In the Book of Life which He held in His hand
Was written the name of every saved man.
He spoke not a word as He searched for my name;
When He said, "It's not here" my head hung in shame.

The people whose names had been written with love
He gathered to take to His father above.
With those who were ready He rose without a sound
While all the rest were left standing around.

I fell to my knees, but it was too late;
I had waited too long and thus sealed my fate.
I stood and I cried as they rose out of sight;
Oh, if only I had been ready tonight.

In the words of this poem the meaning is clear;
The coming of Jesus is drawing near.
There's only one life and when comes the last call
We'll find that the Bible was true after all.

Author unknown


The meter is a bit rough, but I enjoy the sentiment.

Said the angel, "Get ready, get ready, get ready!"

Merry Christmas,
Dave

Out of the brooding darkness

Christmas 1974

Out of the brooding darkness
God spoke!
"Let there be light!"
and the light
brought life
to the world.

And God said to humankind,
"You alone
have I made in my image!
Love your neighbor!
This is the law
of your life!"

Out of the darkness of exile
God spoke
through Moses,
and through his prophets.
He sang his word
through his psalmists,
with timbrel and harp.

But his people learned other words:
words of hate
and destruction
and hopelessness
and death,
and they forgot
God's word.

Into the darkness of bondage
God's Word came,
the Word that was
from the beginning,
the Word of light
and of life
made flesh.

And the light shone in the darkness,
and the darkness
could not put it out,
for the light
was God's self
come to dwell
on the earth.

And today we behold his glory,
as we give
of our love and ourselves.
And that glory
shines over our darkness,
and promises life
to our world.

Helen June Heath Knapp