I’ve been particularly stirred by the life of John Wesley in recent weeks, and found myself praying one of his prayers this morning. Here is my modified version of it:

Lord Jesus, because you have received me into your house, because you have called me your own, because you have made me your child, I will not stand upon terms. Impose upon me what conditions you please, write down your own articles, command me what you will, put me to anything you see as good; let me come under your roof, let me be your servant, and spare not to command me; I will no longer be my own. Make me what you will, Lord, and set me where you will. I trust you. I put myself wholly into your hands; put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will; put me to doing, put me to suffering, let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you, exalted for you, or trodden under foot for you; let me be full, let me be empty, let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily resign all to your name and your pleasure. For your love is better than life.

It would be hard for me to overstate the impact of the man who prayed that prayer. If the United States had produced a Wesley, many have argued slavery would have been abolished without a civil war. He and his tribe went head to head against the darkness of his day and made a dent: slavery, prison abuse, widespread drunkenness, lack of education for peasants, the poor health of the lower class, child labor.

What was their fuel? According to Wesley, the soul-melting experience of the “righteousness that comes by faith”. The mind-bending realization that he was in – not because of his moral record, but because of Jesus’. The experienced love of Father. See, when you’ve really been amazed by grace, you want to be used by grace.

Your life will follow your prayers.

I dare you to pray that one.