DAY 8

MORNING

PSALMS 38–40

Psalm 40:2 “He ... gave me a firm place to stand.”

A Foundation of Repentance

The change in John Wesley’s preaching after his conversion in 1738 was very clear. Wesley summarized his preaching, explaining how firm foundations were only laid when his preaching started to emphasize “justification by faith”:74

1 From the year 1725 to 1729 I preached but saw no fruit for my labour. Indeed it could not be that I should; for I neither laid the foundation of repentance nor of believing the gospel; taking it for granted, that all to whom I preached were believers, and that many of them ‘needed no repentance’.

2 From the year 1729 to 1734 laying a deeper foundation of repentance I saw a little fruit ... but it was only a little ...

3 From 1734 to 1738, speaking more faith in Christ I saw more fruit of my preaching and visiting from house-to-house, than ever I had done before; though I know not if any of those who were outwardly reformed were inwardly and thoroughly converted to God.

4 From 1738 to this time speaking continually of Jesus Christ, laying Him only for the foundation of the whole building, making Him all in all, the first and the last; preaching only on this plan, ’the kingdom of God is at hand; repent ye and believe the gospel; the ‘word of God ran’ as fire among the stubble; it was glorified more and more; multitudes crying out ‘what must we do to be saved?’ and afterwards witnessing ‘By Grace are we saved through faith.’”

Wesley had been encouraged before his conversion by the Moravian Peter Böhler to “preach faith before he had it in order that he would then preach faith because he had it”. What Böhler had hoped had been achieved. Immediately after Aldersgate, Wesley had then wanted to tell the Fetter Lane society what had happened. As he says in his Journal ”I testified openly to all there what I now first felt in my heart.”75

Prayer

We thank you, Lord, that you have given us a firm place to stand, we thank you for the truth that “ALL are JUSTIFIED freely by his grace through the redemption that came
 by Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:24). Lord, we pray for the Church in our land today, that 
it would have confidence to stand on that firm foundation, that the cutting edge of the Gospel would be restored again in our day, the challenge to repent and believe would be restored again and the Word of God would run again as fire among the stubble. Thank you, Lord, that you have given us a firm place to stand!

74 Wesley, J. Vol 8, 468–9, The principles of a Methodist father explained, Skevington-Wood, A. The burning heart, 71–73.

75 Wesley, J. Journal, Vol 1, 476, Skevington-Wood, The burning heart, 71-73.

DAY 8

EVENING

PSALMS 41–43

Psalm 42:7 “My tears have been my food day and night ... Deep calls to deep.”

Inspired by the Church Fathers

In his diary entry for July 30, 1736, John Wesley wrote: “I read Macarius and 
sang.”76 Wesley’s affinity for Macarius becomes understandable when you discover the ancient saint’s concern for the work of the Holy Spirit, which imparts grace and brings about entire sanctification, holiness of heart, in obedient believers. Macarius said, “Thus the soul is completely illumined, with the unspeakable beauty of the glory of the light of the face of Christ and is perfectly made a participator of the Holy Spirit.”77 It is interesting that the Early Church Fathers saw the gift of tears as an important part of the work of transformation that God works by his spirit. The Desert Fathers, along with Macarius, were convinced that this weeping kept them from sinning and that this was the only way to true salvation, to the true life, whereby God would come and dwell within them. Evagrius the solitary said,78 “First pray for the gift of tears, so that through sorrowing you may tame what is savage in your soul. And having confessed your transgressions to the Lord you will obtain forgiveness. pray with tears, and all you ask will be heard. For the Lord rejoices greatly when you pray with tears.” Cassian said, “It is one thing for tears to run down when our heart stirred by the thorn of our sins overflows ... It is another thing when the shedding of tears springs from the contemplation of the goods of eternity and from the longing for its coming glory.”79

Anglicanism is rooted in a Benedictine spirituality and Benedict also frequently emphasized the importance of praying with tears in his Rule. He said, “Pray frequently. Confess your past sins to God each day in prayer with tears and sighs.”80 He also said, “We must be aware that he will only listen to us if we pray not so much at length but with purity of heart and tears of compunction.”81 Yet again he said, “... we can achieve this if we refrain from all sin and put all our effort into prayer accompanied by tears, into reading, compunction of heart and abstinence.”82

Prayer

Your word says, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and seek my face, I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal the land.” Lord, transform me by the work of your Holy Spirit. I need the sanctifying work of your Holy Spirit in my life. Come and have your way in my life. I stand in the gap for my nation, and I repent on behalf of the land. Lord, have mercy! Come and heal, come and forgive, I pray.

76 Wesley, J. Journal, Vol 1, July 30, 1736.

77 Pseudo-Macarius, Homilies 1, 38.


78 The Philokalia, Volume 1, 58.


79 Cassian, Conference 9, 118–119.

80 The Rule, Benedict, 18, chapter 4.

81 The Rule, Benedict, 41 chapter 20.

82 The Rule, Benedict, 74 chapter 49.