Week Three - "And a steadfast regard to your glory in all my actions"

As a recap, here is the great prayer from Elizabeth Rhodes:

"Grant me, gracious Lord, a pure intention of heart, and a steadfast regard to your glory in all my actions. Possess my mind continually with your presence, and fill it with your love, that my whole delight may be to repose in the arms of your protection. Be light to my eyes, music to my ears, sweetness to my taste, and full contentment to my heart. Be my sunshine in the day, my food at the table, my repose in the night, my clothing in company, my succor in all necessities.
Lord Jesus, I give you my body, my soul, my substance, my fame, my friends, my liberty, and my life. Dispose of me, and all that is mine, as seems best to you, and to the glory of your blessed name. I am not my own, but yours; therefore claim me as your right, keep me as your charge, and love me as your child. Fight for me when I am assailed, heal me when I am wounded, and revive me when I am destroyed.

My Lord and my God, I ask you to give me patience in troubles, humility in comforts, constancy in temptations, and victory over all my ghostly enemies. Grant me sorrow for my sins, thankfulness for my benefits, fear of your judgments, love of your mercies, and mindfulness of your presence for evermore. Make me humble to my superiors and friendly to my equals, ready to please all and loathe to offend any; loving to my friends and charitable to my enemies. Give me modesty in my countenance, gravity in my behavior, deliberation in my speech, holiness in my thoughts, and righteousness in all my actions. Let your mercy cleanse me from my sins, and your grace bring forth in me the fruits of everlasting life.

Lord, let me be obedient without arguing, humble without feigning, patient without grudging, pure without corruption, mercy without lightness, sad without mistrust, sober without dullness, true without duplicity, fearing you without desperation, and trusting you without presumption. Let me joyful for nothing but that which pleases you, and sorrowful for nothing but what displeases you: that labor be my delight which is for you, and let all weary me that is not in you. Give me a waking spirit, and a diligent soul, that I may seek to know your will, and when I know it may I perform it faithfully to the honor and glory of your ever blessed name. Amen."

Chilcote took this prayer that is divided into four roughly equal parts and provided a theme for each section:
Part 1: Who is God to me? (first paragraph of prayer)
Part 2: What can I give to and ask of God? (second)
Part 3: How does God shape my life? (third)
Part 4: How do I live as a disciple of Christ? (fourth)

Today, we continue with part one from Chilcote.

Scripture

"Most importantly, love each other deeply, because love will cause people to forgive each other for many sins. Open your homes to each other, without complaining. Each of you has received a gift to use to serve others. Be good servants of God's various gifts of grace. Anyone who speaks should speak words from God. Anyone who serves should serve with the strength God gives so that in everything God will be praised through Jesus Christ. Power and glory belong to him forever and ever. Amen." - 1 Peter 4:8-11

Meditation

It became common in the 20th century to describe worship as the glorification of God and the sanctification of humanity. Irenaeus, a sainted theologian of the early church, put it all rather simply when he observed that God's greatest glory is the human person fully alive. In prayer, we often begin naturally with a sense of God's glory. When we contemplate the One to whom our prayers ascend, realizing Who this is can be quite overwhelming. How can I even address a God who has flung one hundred thousand million galaxies into existence out of nothing?

But like Irenaeus, the pray-er of this early Methodist prayer turns the question around to you and to me. What is it that I can do to bring glory to this God? There is no sense of arrogance in this bold reversal. Instead, confronted with the reality of this awesome God, the attentive soul responds with deep desire to glorify God with every action, word, and thought - to sanctify life in the glorification of God and to glorify God through the sanctification of life.

Our lives glorify God when we live in loving relationship with one another. Our lives glorify God when we offer hospitality to those who need our care and support. Our lives glorify God when we use the unique gifts that God has given to each of us, not to bring attention to ourselves but for healing, edifying, encouraging, and serving others.

Prayer

Gracious Lord, God of truth and grace and love: grant me to praise you, bless you, and worship you through all I think and say and do; for only you, O Christ, with the Holy Spirit, fully radiate the glory of God the Father throughout all ages. Amen.

Part Four coming next Monday...

pcraig