In a previous post I mentioned the Prayer Booklets that our church puts out to guide us in specific areas of prayer. I choose to receive them daily via email; I have found that if I see it in my inbox, I am more likely to follow through and actually pray for the specific request suggested. Anyway, today's selection really gripped me with the reality of our folly. Here is an excerpt:
"Father, though by Your grace and through Your Spirit I have come to believe, yet I have not lived the life of One who calls You Lord. The easy yoke and light burden of Your Son, My Savior, I have often rejected for the binding shackles and heavy load of sin. I have continued too much and too long in the ways of the old man, living according to the pattern of the world, rather than walking as a child of light. I know that I have been bought at a very dear price, even the blood of Christ, and would plead only that same blood for my pardon. Subdue my wandering heart that my profession would more and more become my practice. Grant me the blessing of Your fatherly care and discipline, the humble heart of a submissive child, the boldness of one who knows that he is loved, and the joy of being an heir of Your kingdom with Christ."
Isn't that a lovely prayer? But to my dismay, I realized that I didn't even totally remember the "profession" that comes before the "practice." In order to become a member of EPC, we are asked to study and then answer 'yes' to the following questions:
1. Do you acknowledge yourselves to be sinners in the sight of
God, justly deserving His displeasure, and without hope save
in His sovereign mercy?
2. Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God,
and Savior of sinners, and do you receive and rest upon Him
alone for salvation as He is offered in the Gospel?
3. Do you now resolve and promise, in humble reliance upon
the grace of the Holy Spirit, that you will endeavor to live as
becomes the followers of Christ?
4. Do you promise to support the Church in its worship and
work to the best of your ability?
5. Do you submit yourselves to the government and discipline
of the Church, and promise to study its purity and peace?
God, justly deserving His displeasure, and without hope save
in His sovereign mercy?
2. Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God,
and Savior of sinners, and do you receive and rest upon Him
alone for salvation as He is offered in the Gospel?
3. Do you now resolve and promise, in humble reliance upon
the grace of the Holy Spirit, that you will endeavor to live as
becomes the followers of Christ?
4. Do you promise to support the Church in its worship and
work to the best of your ability?
5. Do you submit yourselves to the government and discipline
of the Church, and promise to study its purity and peace?
I think that we would all benefit from a regular review of our "profession" in order to measure how well we're doing with our "practice" of it; in humble reliance upon the grace of the Holy Spirit, that is.
Thanks for the reminder Candy, I too had forgotten what I pledged just this past summer. I will print out the pledge and address it in my time of Thanksgiving to the Lord His grace and love endure forever that is just one of God's truths that we can base our faith on. Practice, Practice, Practice will someday lead to Heavenly perfection, until then we remain in earthly process.
ReplyDelete"Subdue my wandering heart" Oh how true are those words, I will include in that petition "my wandering mind". Oh how often it wanders off on the things of this world and I have to ask the Lord to call it back so He may train it to become lost in the things of the Lord. Lovely Candy. DS