Sharing From Today's Morning Prayer

I thought that I would share, today, a hymn that spoke to me during my time of Morning Prayer, as well as one of the "Wesleyan Core Terms" from the notes below the section of Scripture I was reading, today.

First the hymn:

1. O, God, to whom in flesh revealed

The helpless all for succour came;

The sick to be relieved and healed,

And found salvation in thy name:

2. With publicans and harlots I,

In these thy Spirit's gospel-days,

To thee the sinner's friend draw nigh,

And humbly sue for saving grace.

3. Thou seest me helpless and distressed,

Feeble, and faint, and blind, and poor:

Weary, I come to thee for rest,

And sick of sin, implore a cure.

4. My sin's incurable disease,

Thou, Jesus, thou alone canst heal:

Inspire me with thy power and peace,

And pardon on my conscience seal.

5. A touch, a word, a look from thee,

Can turn my heart, and make it clean;

Purge the foul inbred leprosy,

And save me from my bosom sin.

6. Lord, if thou wilt, I do believe,

Thou canst the saving grace impart;

Thou canst this instant now forgive,

And stamp thine image on my heart.

7. My heart, which now to thee I raise,

I know thou canst this moment cleanse;

The deepest stains of sin efface,

And drive the evil spirit hence.

8. Be it according to thy word!

Accomplish now thy work in me;

And let my soul, to health restored,

Devote its little all to thee!

(Hymn #383. The Works of John Wesley. Vol. 7. "A Collection of Hymns for the Use of The People Called Methodist.")

And now, the "Wesleyan Core Term:  Misunderstandings of Perfection:"

The terminology Christian perfection, or entire sanctification, is easily misunderstood in the following ways.  First, purity of heart does not entail perfection in knowledge.  Even the entirely sanctified must continue to study and prosper.  Second, Christian perfection does not issue in freedom from infirmities, that is, from slowness of understanding, confusion in thought, or mistakes in judgment.  Third, Christian perfection should not be described as "sinless perfection," lest the pure in heart conclude that they can be free from any violation of the perfect law of God, voluntary or not.  Fourth, perfect love does not eliminate temptation.  Fifth, there is no state of grace so lofty that one cannot fall from it; that is heart purity can be lost.  And finally, Wesley rejected the idea of static perfection that did not increase in love and grace; he cautioned that a pure heart increasingly grows in the love of God.

(The Wesley Study Bible. Abingdon P.)