Marlene and I are in England with our superintendent ministry team. During these days, we will be following Wesley's (Founder of Methodism) life and ministry. I have taken the liberty to prepare a devotional reflection for each day as we think of the wonderful revival spirit that brought the Great Awakening so close to the experience of the early church vividly described in the Acts in the Bible. Included in each day's reflection is a quote by John Wesley and an accompanying or similar Scripture verse that shed's light on what God has done, is doing or wants to do through his people. Enjoy!
On Living a Vibrant Life
“This being my birthday, the first day of my seventy-second year, I was considering. How is this, that I find just the same strength as I did thirty years ago? That my sight is considerably better now, and my nerves firmer than they were then? That I have none of the infirmities of old age, and have lost several I had in my youth? The grand cause is, the good pleasure of God, who doth whatsoever pleaseth him. The chief means are: my constantly rising at four, for about fifty years; my generally preaching at five in the morning, one of the most healthy exercises in the world; my never traveling less, by sea or land, than four thousand five hundred miles a year.” John Wesley
“My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else. I have been following the plan spoken of in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘Those who have never been told about Him will see, and those who have never heard of Him will understand.’ In fact, my visit to you has been delayed so long because I have been preaching in these places. But now I have finished my work in these regions, and after all these long years of waiting, I am eager to visit you.” (Romans 15:20-23).
It is interesting how people age and what they engage in as they age. Wesley and Paul were invigorated by those things that most consider wearying. Most slow down, wear out, become tired, travel less, engage less and take longer to recover. For preachers, preaching “takes it out of them” rather than “puts it into them.” But, like a fine wine, Paul and Wesley seemed to get better with age. Their enthusiasm increased, their vision became broader, their energy level increased. Henry Jackson was that way. Harold Cooke similarly became energized as time wore on. E. Stanley Jones was certainly that way.
In the contemporary Free Methodist world, John Schlosser was that way. I remember seeing John and Ruby in the Philippines on a number of occasions as they seemed to be doing more on the mission field in their 70s than they did in their 40s. I have come to the conclusion that it has much to do with “what we are doing with our lives” instead of how intense the activity may be. If it is mostly busy work, we become worn. If it is fruitful living, it bears increasing fruit and energizes the fruit bearer. Nothing is more wearying than doing much work with little to show for it- relationships and results.
Wesley attributed his aging wellness to some things that many would suggest would produce weariness- little sleep and lots of travel and preaching. But, for him, it kept him in the thick of Kingdom ministry. Paul seemed eager to not only get to Rome, but press on to Spain for new territories, new people and new vision. When I travel abroad, I have tried to shift my thinking from travel as a burden to travel as an opportunity. Wesley seemed to agree with the apostle Paul, that there are so many in so many places who need so much. Travel opens the door to getting us into places of opportunity to do something bigger for the Lord. If God has called people from every tribe and language then it certainly includes wherever the friendly skies might take us. There are two thoughts that frequent my mind in my travels. First, the world in which we live is expansive. Consequently, I am reminded that the need for Christ and hope is great. Second, regardless of the diversity of cultures and beliefs, I am reminded that basic human needs (spiritually, emotionally, physically) are essentially the same. So, the common good news still reaches and amazes. That, in turn, energizes me. Seeing the diversity and yet the similarity and how God can work in very different cultures in remarkably similar ways is powerfully heartening. Oddly, travel can keep us focused on the breadth and the commonality of the need. Or, it can just wear us out. Rising early can be a blessing or seem like a curse. It is simply my prayer that as our years move on, that we become increasingly open to be part of what God is doing in the world. And thereby, we become more youthful in our deportment as we increase in our fruitfulness for Him.
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