A Covenant Prayer in the Wesleyan Tradition
I am no longer my own, but yours. Put me to what you will, place me with whom you will. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be put to work for you or set aside for you, Praised for you or criticized for you. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and fully surrender all things to your glory and service. And now, O wonderful and holy God, Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer, you are mine, and I am yours. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, Let it also be made in heaven. Amen.
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The Story
John Wesley believed that Methodists, and all Christians should reaffirm their covenant with God annually, so he created a service in which an individual renews his/her covenant with God.
In 1755 Wesley held his first covenant service using words written earlier by Richard Alleine. Wesley published this service in a pamphlet in 1780, and this form was used without alteration for nearly a century in England. It has been modified somewhat in more recent years.
The covenant service is often used by Methodist Christians as a Watch Night Service on New Year's Eve. The covenant service is observed in some local churches on New Year's Day or on the first Sunday in January. The service focuses on the Christian's renewing the covenant of response to the grace of God in Christ.