Deeper into the Prayer

In some ways the Wesley Covenant Prayer is like peeling an onion one layer at a time.  Each part of the prayer exposes a different level of our spirit.  It could be said that the prayer is one that takes us deeper and deeper into our inner being enabling us to see if our heart belongs completely to Jesus, or if we still have our controlling hand on part of our life.  Just when we think we have made it to the core and there is no more to let go, we are confronted by still another part of our life which causes us to consider the degree to which we abandon our life for God.   

The next part of the Wesley Prayer causes us to pray, "Let me be employed by Thee or laid aside for Thee."  Here within the prayer is a moment when we are expressing our desire to be at God's disposal.  If there is something He needs doing and that He wants us to do, we are willing.  Even as such is true, it is also true that we are willing to step aside from something we might want to do for Him if it is His desire to use someone else.  There have been times when we have been tempted think that we are necessary for some Kingdom work to be accomplished, but as we pray this prayer we affirm that who does the work and who gets the credit is not as important as knowing that the work of God's Kingdom is going forward.  

Some of the churches I have served as pastor have closed down, but not a single one closed because I left.  When I left the work continued.  The words of this part of the prayer Wesley prayed raises questions we must ask and answer about the importance of our ego verses the importance of what God is doing.