A Covenant Prayer in the Wesleyan Tradition (UM Hymnal 607)
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 by thee or laid aside by thee,
Exalted for
thee or brought low by 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.
A Meditation on the Covenant Prayer
(written in my own words; what it means to me today, July 1, 2020)
My time is not my own, but yours. Call me to do and to be what you need me to
do and be.
May I be associated with whomever you need me to be, not as
their teacher or student, but as their neighbor. If I am to walk with the poor, the
despondent, the frustrated, the tired, the weak, so be it; and may I be a
presence of contentment, encouragement, patience, listening, and sustenance in
their midst. If I am to walk with the
wealthy, the unrepentant, the bad examples, the insensitive, the powerful, so
be it; and may I be a presence of humility, of contrition, of integrity, and
compassion in their midst.
May I overcome my own lethargy and overwhelmedness by taking
small simple steps that spread your love, and may I refuse to let my desires
for perfection and control be the enemies and obstacles to participation and
trying, however imperfect they may be.
If sharing what you have given means I must make do with less or with
nothing, may you be my strength to continue.
If, in allying myself with the powerless, I suffer as they do, may my
suffering deepen my love for them and for you.
May you call me to work if work is what is needed, may you
call me to speak if speech is needed, may you call me to rest if rest is
needed, may you call me to silently pray behind a closed door if silent prayer
is needed, may you call me to step aside if you need room for others to work
and speak. May you grant me the wisdom
to know what is needed.
If others can be encouraged by your light shining through me,
then shine that light. If I must lose
the reputation I have so carefully crafted so that others may see your strength
in my weakness and your glory in my inadequacy, so be it.
Provide for my every need, provide blessings to overflowing,
and I will give you praise and glory. If
all my provisions are lost or given away, and I am wandering through the
world’s desert in search of the next oasis, may my search be first and only for
you, and may my desire be to trust that you will provide enough for my daily
bread. If I experience the bliss of
constant communion and the blessed assurance of your grace, may I share you as
the source. If my spirit feels lost in
the fog and cacophony of society, and my mind is filled with doubts and
longing, may you be the ocean on which my small boat drifts – all around me and
upholding me, always.
May you provide every resource at my fingertips to accomplish
what you have set before me; but if those supplies are nowhere to be found, may
you be a lamp to light my feet and the patience to quiet my discontent on the
quest to gather what is needed.
All that I am, and all that I have, I offer it to you. Whether I am in the midst of the storm, or in
view of the peaceful sunset, I want to praise you. You are the Three in One, always in
relationship with yourself. May I be in
relationship with you and with my neighbor.
Words are easy to speak, letters are easy to write, but a
life serving you is a challenge to live.
Remind me of your grace, when my efforts fall short or when your voice
seems far away. Remind me that you are
with us always, and that we are yours; remind us that your communion is best of
all and your mercy never fails. Amen.
-Pastor Ed
