Charles Wesley: Hymns & Sacred Poems, 1749, II

For me Charles Wesley is my favorite poet. A lot of people have not read his hymns or poetry. Charles Wesley was the younger brother of John Wesley and they both founded the Methodist Movement within the Church of England in the 18th Century. My Wesleyan professor in seminary, Dr. Hal Knight, once commented that if you wanted encouragement for your faith you should talk to John Wesley, however if you needed pastoral care, someone to grieve with, someone to console you, go to Charles Wesley. Both Wesley brothers were essential for the Methodist Movement to grow as it did and does today. For that reason I will share some of his writings from time to time. Whenever I have been truly inspired. I hope you all like it and may it help you mature in your faith through the Holy Spirit. ENJOY…

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The Lengths of Love…

So this week as I was reading various topics about God’s love I came across this story from our Desert Fathers,

There was a brother who served one of the hermits. The old man’s body happened to be badly hurt, and evil-smelling pus flowed out of the wound. The serving brother thought to himself, ‘I’m getting out of hear; I can’t bear the smell of gangrene.’ To control the thought, he took a bowl, washed the wound, and kept the water which he used and whenever he was thirsty, he drank from it. But his thoughts began to trouble him again saying to him, ‘If you will not go away, at least do not drink the pus.’ The brother struggled with endurance, and went on drinking the water. God saw his charity [LOVE] as he ministered to the old man; and God turned the contaminated liquid into the purest water, and by unseen means healed the old hermit.
The Desert Fathers: Sayings of the Early Christian Monks

Butler, Therapist, Pastor, Friend???

As a pastor I come across and hear about a lot of problems in people’s lives and in the world. As a pastor I not only have to preach about God’s love, but also be the example of that love toward everyone. Of course that is nothing to complain about, in fact I love doing that. I could not see myself doing anything else. However, being a pastor is also one of the most misunderstood and abused roles in the world. In fact if I was to be truly transparent it is also one of the most lonely. Nothing brings me more joy than to be a pastor AND nothing creates in me a sense of worthlessness than being a pastor.

Bodily Resurrection???

Our time of mourning and repentance is over. Starting April 1, we enter the Easter Season. During Lent we spent 40 days focusing on what hinders us from Jesus. We fasted, prayed, gave up, repented, and cried out to the Lord. We asked God to create in us a new heart and spirit. One that is not fashioned out of stone, but out of His own. Now we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We turn our eyes not toward the cross, but toward an empty tomb. Jesus has conquered the grave! He has turned our mourning into joy!

Repentance???

Last Wednesday most people were celebrating Valentine’s Day with that special someone. However, this was not the only celebration taking place this year on that day. February 14 was also the beginning of the Church season of Lent. It is marked with the service of Ash Wednesday. Lent is the 40 days before Easter (not counting Sunday’s) where we recognize the significance of the Cross and the death of Jesus Christ in our lives. Usually during this season Christians all over the world fast, pray, read scripture, and repent. It is also a season of reconciliation as we invite people who have fallen away from the Church to return and be reconciled. I always find it interesting that more Christians do not celebrate this season.

Death & Love: Ash Wednesday…

Something unusual is happening this year that I have never experienced, or at least can’t remember. This year Lent begins on Valentine’s Day and Easter is on April Fool’s Day. Of course for me these holidays are not all that important, however I find it interesting that Ash Wednesday, the day we are to focus on our own mortality is also going to be the day we celebrate love. Maybe there is something to this.

Real Hope…

In the past month we have witnessed fire damage, hurricane forces, earthquakes, flooding, and now a mass shooting where at least 59 have died and hundreds wounded. Not to mention the famine in war torn countries, genocide, and persecutions that happen all around the world every day. We need to remember that tragedies can happen anywhere because we know that the darkness and evil principalities are seeking to destroy us. However, let us not despair.