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FOCUS VERSE: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” —Isaiah 6:5 (NRSVU)

PRAYER OF PRESENCE: Dear Lord, help me to present to all your have to offer in this moment. Amen.

SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 6:1-5

HYMN FOR REFLECTION:
Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-em3bRF7z8 

Depth of Mercy
Charles Wesley, 1707–1788

  1. Depth of mercy! Can there be
    mercy still reserved for me?
    Can my God his wrath forbear,
    me, the chief of sinners, spare?
  2. I have long withstood his grace,
    long provoked him to his face,
    would not hearken to his calls,
    grieved him by a thousand falls.
  3. I my Master have denied,
    I afresh have crucified,
    oft profaned his hallowed name,
    put him to an open shame.
  4. There for me the Savior stands,
    shows his wounds and spreads his hands.
    God is love! I know, I feel;
    Jesus weeps and loves me still.
  5. Now incline me to repent,
    let me now my sins lament,
    now my foul revolt deplore,
    weep, believe, and sin no more.

REFLECTION:

Few individuals in our Protestant faith have had the intellectual, experiential, and lyrical prowess of Charles Wesley. His words have a way of penetrating the depths of our souls, calling us to self-examination, confession, gratitude, praise, and perseverance in the faith. Among the more than 6,500 hymns he penned, “Depth of Mercy” holds a special place.

 

It is said that Charles wrote this hymn following his own heartwarming experience on May 21, 1738, just a few days before his brother John’s transformative encounter on May 24 of that same year. Having been convicted of God’s unending love for him, Charles, like John, was deeply moved by the realization of his own sinfulness and the overwhelming mercy of God. His hymn begins with the haunting, profound question: “Depth of mercy! Can there be mercy still reserved for me?”

This line echoes the experience of the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 6:1-5. Standing in the presence of God’s overwhelming holiness, Isaiah is struck by his own unworthiness. He cries out, “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:5). The vision of God’s holiness exposes Isaiah’s sin, just as Charles Wesley’s encounter with God’s love compelled him to acknowledge his need for mercy.

Yet the beauty of both Isaiah’s vision and Charles’s hymn is that neither leaves us in despair. In Isaiah’s story, a seraph touches his lips with a live coal, declaring that his guilt is taken away and his sins are forgiven. For Charles Wesley, the overwhelming mercy of God leads to a heartfelt confession and assurance: “There for me the Savior stands / Shows His wounds and spreads His hands / God is love! I know, I feel / Jesus weeps and loves me still.”

Both Isaiah and Charles experienced the transformative grace of God that not only cleanses but also calls. Isaiah’s guilt was removed, and he was commissioned to serve as God’s prophet. Similarly, Charles’s experience of God’s mercy became the foundation of his lifelong ministry, writing hymns that continue to inspire and convict generations of believers.

For us, these stories and words invite us to reflect on our own encounters with God’s holiness and mercy. How often do we feel unworthy, lost, or distant from God? Yet, in those moments, the same mercy that touched Isaiah’s lips and warmed Charles’s heart is extended to us. God’s love calls us not only to repentance but also to transformation and service.

May we, like Isaiah and Charles Wesley, stand in awe of God’s holiness and be moved by God’s mercy to “weep, believe, and sin no more.”

CLOSING PRAYER:

O Lord, who is the Light, the Way, the Truth, the Life; in whom there is no darkness, error, vanity, or death—the Light without which there is darkness; the Way without which there is wandering; the Truth without which there is error; the life without which there is Death; say, Lord, let there be Light, and I shall see Light, and eschew Darkness; I shall see the way and avoid wandering; I shall see the Truth and shun error; I shall see Life and escape Death: Illuminate, O illuminate my blind soul which sits in darkness and the shadow of Death; and direct my feet into the way of peace. Amen. 

Closing Prayer by Augustine of Hippo (354-430)

WEEKLY PRACTICE: Jan 1 - 4 (Wed - Sat)

Writing as a Spiritual Practice: Keeping a Prayer Journal

Start strong with a journal as you pray. For just 4 days, make a point of putting pen to paper with at least one word. You may copy down a scripture focus for the day, or write an expression of thoughts during your prayer time. Even if all you can think of is one word or theme, when written down you will find success as you are writing a spiritual practice. Feel free to carry this practice into the rest of the days of this month as well. 

May this act of praying on paper be a practice of renewal and hope. Amen.

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