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FOCUS VERSE: “Be kind, compassionate, and forgiving to each other, in the same way God forgave you in Christ.” —Ephesians 4:17

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

SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 4:17-5:1

HYMN FOR REFLECTION:
Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbWew2tm5mM 

I Want a Principle Within
Charles Wesley, 1707–1788

  1. I want a principle within
    of watchful, godly fear,
    a sensibility of sin,
    a pain to feel it near.
    I want the first approach to feel
    of pride or wrong desire,
    to catch the wandering of my will,
    and quench the kindling fire.

  2. From thee that I no more may stray,
    no more thy goodness grieve,
    grant me the filial awe, I pray,
    the tender conscience give.
    Quick as the apple of an eye,
    O God, my conscience make;
    awake my soul when sin is nigh,
    and keep it still awake.

  3. Almighty God of truth and love,
    to me thy power impart;
    the mountain from my soul remove,
    the hardness from my heart.
    O may the least omission pain
    my reawakened soul,
    and drive me to that blood again,
    which makes the wounded whole.

REFLECTION

What difference has faith made in your life? Although I grew up attending church and being generally “good,” it wasn’t until my mid-twenties that I could clearly articulate how faith in Christ made a real difference in my life. As many of you know, I’m the child of Methodist clergy and a Christian Educator. I often joke that I was born on a Sunday morning so my mom could make it to the evening service (she didn’t, for the record). My entire life revolved around the language and practices of faith. Yet, like all people, I embodied what Charles Wesley so aptly called “the bent toward sinning.” I hope that doesn’t surprise you.

In some ways, I think I was an unusual child. I had a wide array of interests, and many things came easily to me. To keep me occupied and out of trouble, my parents enrolled me in para-professional certificate classes where I was typically the youngest by about a decade. By fourteen, I could build and repair computers, code programs, build websites, play musical instruments, repair electronics, and manage electricity—a skill honed through plenty of trial and error (and a few shocks). I also earned the dubious distinction of managing a multistory chicken coop requiring warming lights. By sixteen, I was hired as IT director for a satellite campus of a private university.

Looking back, this mix of abilities made me a fairly arrogant young person. While it might not sound terrible on the surface, for me, arrogance became a blind spot—a shortcoming I wasn’t fully aware of at the time and one that, admittedly, still emerges now and then.

Last week, I shared with my mom that the journey of sanctification is a long one, and some of us really enjoy the scenic route. What I meant was that while God’s grace is immediate and available in Christ, the transformation of our hearts and minds—what John Wesley calls “going on to perfection”—takes time, often more than we’d like to admit. For me, part of that scenic route was the slow, sometimes painful, process of confronting my arrogance and learning humility.

Ephesians 4:17–5:1 offers a vision of the new life we’re called to in Christ—a life marked by holiness, compassion, and love. But Paul doesn’t simply tell us to “be holy” and leave it there. He acknowledges the need for a process, urging us to “put off your old self” and “put on the new self.” These actions, initiated by grace, require daily surrender and intentionality.

When I think about my younger self, confident in my abilities but blind to my pride, I see how God’s grace was already at work, even though I didn’t recognize it. Like the hymn we’re reflecting on, I needed “a principle within, of watchful, godly fear.” I needed a tender conscience to catch the wandering of my will and redirect it toward Christ.

Over the years, God has used countless moments to teach me humility. Sometimes it was the frustration of things not going my way. Other times, it was the realization that I had hurt someone with my words or actions. Often, it was the quiet conviction that comes through prayer and scripture. In those moments, God was pruning me, shaping me, and awakening me to the kind of person I am called to be.

Charles Wesley’s hymn speaks beautifully to this ongoing work of grace: “O may the least omission pain my reawakened soul.” These words remind me that sanctification isn’t just about avoiding obvious sins; it’s about developing such a sensitivity to God’s Spirit that even the smallest departure from love feels significant. It’s about cultivating a conscience that is “quick as the apple of an eye,” attuned to God’s will in every moment.

As I reflect on my journey, I’m grateful for God’s patience with me—allowing me to grow in understanding and love at my own pace, even when that pace felt slow. Along this scenic route, I’ve encountered reminders of God’s goodness, moments of deep transformation, and opportunities to share the journey with others.

Wherever you are on your path of sanctification, know that you are not alone. God’s grace is sufficient, His love is constant, and His Spirit is always at work, drawing us closer to the fullness of life in Christ. And if, like me, you sometimes find yourself enjoying the scenic route, take heart—it’s all part of the journey.

 

CLOSING PRAYER

In you, Father all-mighty, we have our preservation and our bliss.
In you, Christ, we have our restoring and our saving.
You are our mother, brother, and savior.
In you, our Lord the Holy Spirit, is marvelous and plenteous grace.
You are our clothing; for love you wrap us and embrace us.
You are our maker, our lover, our keeper.
Teach us to believe that by your grace all shall be well,
and all shall be well,
and all manner of things shall be well. Amen.
—Julian of Norwich (1343-1416)

WEEKLY PRACTICE: Jan 5 - 11 (Sun - Sat)

Confession: Releasing and Seeking Forgiveness in Prayer

Let this week be an opportunity to find hope in letting go. When we confess our sins, it is more than a statement. In fact, while a part of our liturgy every Sunday when we receive communion in worship, when we seek forgiveness we humble ourselves and open ourselves to be able to do more than we thought possible. The preferred practices and patterns of life have room to take root within us when we find freedom from our past failures and shortcomings. It’s like cleaning a home of junk food, when all that’s left are things which are good and pleasing to our bodies then there is plenty of room in the mind to take on the healthier habits and practices already available to us. 

May the forgiving power of grace abound and sin no longer make a home in your heart and mind as you confess in your prayers before God and one another among people of faith. Amen.

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