Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ — the Message — have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives — words, actions, whatever — be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way. Colossians 3:15, The Message
And just like that, we are in February, and society has us focused on love. Before the Christmas love story ended, the stores filled their shelves with hearts, chocolates, plush animals, and Valentine’s Day cards with cliché love quotes. As odd as this may sound, a different thought came to my mind: Five Marks of a Methodist by Steve Harper. A small book and a quick read, Harper reminds us that a Methodist “Loves God, Rejoices in God, Gives Thanks, Prays Constantly, and Loves Others.” When I first read this book, I noticed that the author begins with loving God and ends with loving others, and all other marks in between are essential parts of the journey that come from grateful hearts in relationship with God.
For John Wesley, discipleship was more than something we talk about in church, or listen to in a sermon, or learn from study lessons in Bible Study; discipleship is a lifestyle. Wesley defines discipleship as “a Christian who thinks, speaks, and lives according to the method laid down in the revelation of Jesus Christ. A Christian’s whole being renews after the image of God, in righteousness and all true holiness. And ‘having the mind that was in Christ, one so walks as Christ also walked.” (Five Marks of a Methodist, p. 62). As many distorted variations as the words Christian and love may have today, for John Wesley, being a Christian is a follower of Christ.
What if during the 28 days of February, before going to bed, we read Colossians 3:15 from The Message version as printed above? What if, during the 28 days ahead, we focus on the Five Marks of a Methodist and pay close attention to loving God and loving others? Every day, add one way you have lived the five markers. You may want to adapt your journal or piece of paper as follows. Once you have completed writing in your journal, read the prayer below.
| Love God | Rejoice in God | Give Thanks | Pray Constantly | Love Others |
| I saw the sun come up today, and it reminded me of the joy of a new day. I love you, Lord! | Today, I read in my devotions how much you care about me! I rejoice in this reminder! | Today, I thank you, O God, for your answered prayers! | Today, I pray for the healing of this world and the suffering of injustices. | I met up with a friend for breakfast and spoke to her about your love for her. We both felt your presence and love. |
Prayer: Tender shepherd of my soul, make yourself and your way known to me in this evening time of prayer and reflection. Bring awareness of my failures and confidence in your desire and ability to forgive my sins, heal my wounds, and mend my broken places. By the power of your presence, bring me to the end of the day whole, complete, and at peace with you, my neighbor, and myself. Grant a night of peaceful rest and send me forth tomorrow as a witness to your love and grace. “10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me.12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willingspirit.” (Psalm 51:10-12) Amen. (Prayer from the book Three Simple Rules by Reuben P. Job, p. 73).
By the end of the month, you will notice that not only have you lived the five marks, but that you have also lived into the three simple rules of John Wesley, “Do no harm, Do Good, Stay in Love with God” (book by Reuben P. Job).
Peace,
Pastor Iraida