Meditations

“To conclude upon this point: so work with that earnestness, constancy, and unweariedness in well doing, as if thy works alone were able to justify and save thee: and so absolutely depend and rely upon the merits of Christ for justification and salvation, as if thou never hadst performed one act of obedience in all thy life.

This is the right Gospel frame of obedience, so to work, as if we were only to be saved by our own merits; and withal so to rest on the merits of Christ, as if we had never wrought any thing. It is a difficult thing to give to each of these its due in our practice.

When we work, we are too apt to neglect Christ; and when we rely on Christ, we are too apt to neglect working. But that Christian has got the right art of obedience who can mingle these two together; who can with one hand work the works of God, and yet, at the same time, lay fast hold on the merits of Jesus Christ.”

John Fletcher (1729-1785) a contemporary of John Wesley and a key interpreter of Wesleyan Theology in the 18th century in The Works of the Reverend John Fletcher, volume 1 (New York: Waugh and Mason) 114.

“I suggest we restore the church as it was in the New Testament day, rooting it firmly in the pattern set by the early disciples. With its roots there, it can sway and bend to adjust to the times, but fundamentally it would always be the same. A strong tree is still a tree whatever winds blow. And the church would still be the church despite men’s opinions blowing about it.”

This statement is ascribed to Barton W. Stone (1772-1844) one of many leaders in the Second Great Awakening, as recounted in Samuel Rodriguez in The Lamb’s Agenda: Why Jesus is Calling You to a Life of Righteousness and Justice (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2013) 116.

“Those who are so redeemed from “Love of the World” as to possess nothing in a selfish spirit, their “Life is hid with Christ in God,” and these he preserves in resignedness, even in times of commotion.

As they possess nothing but what pertains to His family, anxious thoughts about wealth or dominion hath little or nothing in them to work upon, and they learn contentment in being disposed of according to His Will, who being Omnipotent, and always mindful of his Children, causeth all things to work for their good.

But where that spirit works which loves riches; works and in its working gathers wealth, and cleaves to customs which have their root in self pleasing…

A day of outward distress is coming, and Divine Love calls to prepare for it. Hearken then, O ye children who have known the Light, and come forth!

…Think not His pattern too plain or too coarse for you. Think not a small portion in this life too little: but let us live in His Spirit, and walk as He walked, and He will preserve us in the greatest troubles.”

John Woolman (1720-1772) The Journal and Essays of John Woolman (New York: MacMillan, 1922) 418-419.

“Many professors of religion seem just about as much determined to do good with their money, as impenitent sinners are to repent. They profess to engage in business for the glory of God, but instead of using their money for this purpose, they enlarge their capital, and their business, and transact business upon the principles of worldly men, and practice upon themselves a constant delusion.

Instead of laying out their money as they go along for the building up of the kingdom of Jesus Christ, they add their yearly profits to their capital, until nearly their whole time, and thoughts, and affections, are engrossed with money-making. Now, why do you not see, who practice this, that you are deceiving yourselves.

The only way in which money can be used for the glory of God and the good of men, is to promote the spirituality and holiness of men, and if you pursue business in a way that is inconsistent with your own spirituality, you might as well talk of getting drunk or swearing for the glory of God, as of making money for His glory. For you to neglect communion with God, under the pretense of making money for him, is sheer hypocrisy.”

Charles Finney (1792-1875) Sermons on Important Subjects, this excerpt taken from Sermon XII “Love of the World (New York: John S. Taylor, 1836) 263-264.

“The riches of his free grace, cause me daily to triumph over all the temptations of the wicked one, who is very vigilant, and seeks all occasions to disturb me. The LORD CHRIST is my helper, and the lifter up of my head. It is good for me to be tempted. By inward trials I trust my divine Master will prepare me for future mercies. I am persuaded that I shall see great things, and be called to suffer for his name sake.”

George Whitefield (1714-1770) in Letter LXXXV dated November 10, 1739 as collected in The Works of the Reverend George Whitefield (London: Edward and Charles Dilly, 1771) 82.

“Resolution One: I will live for God. Resolution Two: If no one else does, I still will.”

These resolutions are attributed to Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) and thought to encompass his famous 70 Resolutions of which I offer you three more below today as a bonus from my reading. Reviewing them was his discipline weekly from 1722 to 1758.

17. Resolved, that I will live so as I shall wish I had done when I come to die. Before December 18, 1722

47. Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to deny whatever is not most agreeable to a good, and universally sweet and benevolent, quiet, peaceable, contented, easy, compassionate, generous, humble, meek, modest, submissive, obliging, diligent and industrious, charitable, even, patient, moderate, forgiving, sincere temper; and to do at all times what such a temper would lead me to. Examine strictly every week, whether I have done so. Sabbath morning. May 5, 1723.

52. I frequently hear persons in old age say how they would live, if they were to live their lives over again: Resolved, that I will live just so as I can think I shall wish I had done, supposing I live to old age. July 8, 1723.

“[The Church] was not instituted by human means; and it is not through them that it can be preserved and increased, but through the grace of the omnipotent hand of Christ our God and Lord. Therefore in him alone must be placed the hope that he will preserve and carry forward what he designed to begin for his service and praise and for the aid of souls.”

Then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Now-Pope Francis) here quotes Constitutions of the Society of Jesus 812 while leading an retreat for bishops in Spain following the spiritual exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola.

Join me today in offering a prayer for young leaders like Linnea Smith of Alpha USA and fellow servants like John Savage of Artios who celebrate birthdays this weekend. They resolve to place their hope for the preservation and increase of ministry solely in the grace and provision of Almighty God. May God bless them for their commitment to Him, and their prayers and generosity toward me.

“How many times have we had to reach the end of our own resources before we remembered to trust in God, the one steadfast resource of our lives? … When our faith causes difficulties, our first response is to fall back on our familiar resources-people, things, self—and only when these do not help can we truly lean only upon God for our needs.”

Joel C. Gregory, Growing Pains of the Soul (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1987) 108.

“The word translated “steward” is oikonomos. From that word we derive “overseer,” “treasurer,” and “distributor.” From those terms and how they are used throughout the New Testament, we can understand a biblical steward as one who “manages a house for an owner” or one who “tends to the economy that another has supplied.” Quite simply, we have been given the awesome task of keeping God’s house—his creation—in order…

One other foundational truth about biblical stewardship…We are not God’s employees…we are his partners, like beloved children apprenticed in the family business we will one day inherit. God invites us to join him in his mission of revealing his righteousness to a watching world.

Biblical stewardship is an exciting calling, one that makes everything we do an opportunity to collaborate with God. As we serve him and he reveals his image within us, his compassion for those around us actually wells up in our hearts, and we are privileged to express it.”

Jim Liske, CEO, Prison Fellowship Ministries, in the Introduction to Faithful in All God’s House by Lester DeKoster and Gerard Berghoef, edited by Brett Elder (Grand Rapids: Christian’s Library Press, 2013) 7-8.

“Blessed are those who know how to detach themselves from their possessions and their power so as to put them at the service of the needy.”

Pope John Paul II in homilies in New York City, October 1979 and Recife, Brazil, July 1980 as recounted in A Justice Prayer Book: With Biblical Reflections, 10.

With today’s meditation I honor my sister, Heather. It’s her birthday, and it captures her life. She has detached from power and possessions to care for her two sons, her loving husband, and others around her with Christian love. Happy birthday, Heather!