Tuesday July 20th

I have been continuing to work on my sermon on intentional faith development. The scripture that I am using comes from Luke 11:1-13. Jesus reminds us about being persistent in our prayers. As I was reading this from the Wesley study bible, I came across some quotes from the sermon Wesley preached on the Sermon on the Mount. Following that there was a paraphrase of the Lord's Prayer. I was struck by the beauty of what he had written and wanted to share it with you. Granted that the language was appropriate for his day and age but I found it moving.

John Wesley’s: A Paraphrase on the Lord’s Prayer
1. Father of all, whose powerful voice
Call’d forth this universal frame;
Whose mercies over all rejoice,
Through endless ages still the same.
Thou, by thy word, upholdest all;
Thy bounteous love to all is show’d;
Thou hear’st thy every creature’s call,
And fillest every mouth with good.

2. In heaven thou reign’st, enthroned in light,
Nature’s expanse beneath thee spread;
Earth, air, and sea, before thy sight,
And Hell’s deep gloom, are open laid.
Wisdom, and might, and love are thine:
Prostrate before thy face we fall,
Confess thine attributes divine,
And hail thee Sovereign Lord of All!

3. Thee Sovereign Lord let all confess,
That move in earth, or air, or sky;
Revere thy power, thy goodness bless,
Tremble before thy piercing eye.
All ye who owe to Him your birth,
In praise your every hour employ:
Jehovah reigns! Be glad, O earth!
And shout, ye morning stars for joy!

4. Son of thy Sire’s eternal love,
Take to thyself thy mighty power;
Let all earth’s sons thy mercy prove,
Let all thy bleeding grace adore.
The triumphs of thy love display;
In every heart reign thou alone;
Till all thy foes confess thy way,
And glory ends what grace begun.

5. Spirit of grace, and health, and power,
Fountain of light and love below;
Abroad thine healing influence shower,
O’er all nations let it flow.
Inflame our hearts with perfect love;
In us the work of faith fulfill;
So not heaven’s host shall swifter move
Than we on earth do thy will.


6. Father, ‘tis thine each day to yield
Thy children’s wants a fresh supply:
Thou cloth’st the lilies of the field,
And hearest the young ravens cry.
On thee we cast our care; we live
Through thee who know’st our every need;
Of feed us with thy grace, and give
Our souls this day the living bread!

7. Eternal, spotless Lamb of God,
Before the world’s foundation slain,
Sprinkle us ever with thy blood;
O cleanse and keep us ever clean!
To every soul (all praise to Thee!)
Our bowels of compassion move:
And all mankind by this may see
God is in us; for God is love.

8. Giver and Lord of life, whose power
And guardian care for all are free;
To thee in fierce temptation’s hour,
From sin and Satan let us flee.
Thine, Lord, we are, and ours thou art;
In us be all thy goodness show’d;
Renew, enlarge, and fill our heart
With peace, and joy, and heaven and God.

9. Blessing and honour, praise, and love,
Co-equal, co-eternal Three,
In earth below, in heaven above,
By all thy works be paid to thee.
Thrice Holy! Thine the kingdom is,
The power omnipotent is thine;
And when created nature dies,
Thy never-ceasing glories shine.

(from The Works of John Wesley, v -5-6 Sermons 1-2 pg 342-343. Baker Book house 2002.)


Note that once again it is about God not us and it is about God meeting our needs not our desires.