“For to me, to live is Christ…” Philippians 1:21
John Wesley was an English pastor, theologian, and evangelist, during the 1700’s, who was a leader of a revival movement within the Church of England which became known as the Methodist church. He was personally very fervent in his Christian faith. I recently read a challenging prayer that Wesley frequently prayed:
“I am no longer my own but Yours.
Put me to what You will,
Rank me with whom You will;
Put me to doing, put me to suffering;
Let me be exalted for You or brought low for You;
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 Your pleasure and disposal.
And now, glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
You are mine and I am Yours.
So be it.”
To me, this seems to be a prayer of obvious trust and total abandon to the will and purposes of God. Initially it can seem like a scary prayer to pray except for when we remember that we are entrusting ourselves to our perfectly loving Heavenly Father who always knows best.
I can so easily get wrapped up in the creature comforts of this world and get distracted from the ultimate purpose that God might have for me. This prayer reminds me that if having nothing means God’s glory, then so be it. If pain in my life means that God’s purposes are more fully fulfilled in and through me, then so be it. Only, let all that I do and all I that I am be unto God and His Kingdom.
This perspective is very akin to the apostle Paul. Paul wrote, “For me, to live is Christ”.
What do you find yourself truly living for? Is it for yourself, for a reputation, for comfort, for retirement, for a career? Or can you like Paul say, “For me, to live is Christ.”
At times I fall short of this full trust that God deserves. But join me in praying a prayer like the one mentioned above in the hope that God would transform our hearts to live more fully for Him.