envelop spinner search close plus arrow-right arrow-left facebook twitter

James 4:1-17 Who do you Belong to?

by fol CHURCH on May 19, 2019

“Lord, I am no longer my own, but Yours. Put me to what You will, rank me with whom You will. Let me be employed for You or laid aside for You, exalted for You or brought low for You. Let me have all things, let me have nothing, I freely and heartily yield all things to Your pleasure and disposal. And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, You are mine and I am Yours. So be it. Amen”

Before we moved away when I was aged 10, I attended a Methodist Church. The teachers there taught me about Jesus and I vowed to adventure with Him for the whole of my life. I spent as much time as I could there, my non-church going parents hoping that I would eventually go off God and our lives would be then return to normal. The words above are from the Methodist Covenant Service which still takes place on the first Sunday of every New Year. Written by John Wesley, the words provide a focus for the rededication of lives to God.

As a child, full of my new faith, I had no trouble saying these words but after all these years, seeing them again makes me realise the enormous commitment which the true pray-er of this prayer makes and I have to confess to not being so wholehearted in some areas these days.

Our God who gave everything for us, demands everything of us. He knows, however, that good intentions sometimes fail and promises may have to be withdrawn while we consider what is being asked of us. He still loves us, regardless.

James says that even the most committed of us can at times be arrogant and our attempts to preserve what we perceive as ours can lead into quarrels and disputes. Our relationship with the world is constantly at odds with our relationship with God. We ask God for what we want but do not always consider if what we are asking for is God’s will for our lives.

James advises us to “Submit yourselves to God”. This is ongoing as we try to give over increasingly those areas of our lives which we would like to hold on to. Those who humble themselves and seek God will be raised up. The Christian life is a day by day joy and also a day by day struggle as we seek to fashion our lives more along the lines of Jesus and less on our own wants.

 

 

* * *

 

I invite you to spend some time today absorbing Wesley’s prayer and asking the Lord what He is asking of you today.

Then: Pray the prayer as you are able.

return to Through The Bible