John Wesley's Covenant Prayer
John Wesley established covenant services as an important part of early Methodist life. He wrote in his Journal, “Urged the wholly giving up ourselves to God and renewing in every point our covenant that the Lord should be our God.” Toward the end of his life, they were usually celebrated on New Year’s Day. It is appropriate for us to begin 2011 by renewing our covenant with the Lord God. In the old covenant, God chose Israel to be a special people and to obey the law. Our Lord Jesus Christ, by his death and resurrection, has made a new covenant with all who trust in him. We stand within this covenant and we bear his name. On the one side, God promises in this covenant to give us new life in Christ. On the other side, we are pledged to live not for ourselves but for God. Therefore, may we renew the covenant which binds us to God. Let us claim the covenant God has made with his people, and accept the yoke of Christ. To accept the yoke of Christ means that we allow Chri...