Promise

After receiving Communion this morning, I became aware of a hymn in my head. 

The tune went round and round in my head, but the lyrics escaped me.

So frustrating! Slowly one word came through the fog in my brain. While I cycled home, I was sure I had the first line of the hymn. "Jesus I have promised to... xx, you to the end". 

 

I thought it was 'follow', but after a quick search, it became apparent that it was 'serve'. 

The hymn is a well-known hymn in the Anglican Tradition.

"Jesus, I have promised to serve thee to the end.

Be thou forever near me, my Master and my friend.

I shall not fear the battle if thou art by my side.

Nor wander from the pathway.

If thou wilt be my guide".

 

My unpacking started with the word: 'promise'. Although promise is a familiar word in our vocabulary, I felt it was useful to have a more in-depth look.

'Promise' means: a declaration of assurance that one will do something, or that something will happen. Promise, refers to a commitment, an agreement or obligation as well as a vow. 

 

I have taken civil and religious vows. Wedding vows, vows for Holy Orders as a Deacon in the Anglican Church, and vows as a Secular or Third Order Franciscan. These vows have not been taken lightly. I remember the sleepless nights before my baptism and ordination. The lifelong implication of taking these vows was in the forefront of my mind.

I questioned myself, could I make that promise? How would that alter my life, and what would people think of me, that I took these vows? 

 

God made promises too. Seven in total, according to the Bible; they are

1 I will be with you

2. I will protect you

3 I will be your strength

4 I will answer you

5 I will provide for you

6 I will give you peace

7 I will always love you

 

I must admit writing about vows and promises is challenging and confrontational. I have broken some of my vows. I have broken wedding vows, and got up and started again. 

 

To talk about the God’s promises is almost impossible. Those are personal experiences and not mere observations. No one can say on my behalf that God has or has not answered me. No one can judge if God has been my strength or has provided for me. We put our trust in God and pray that God keeps the promises and keeps us close, and we pray that we may be aware of God’s presence.

 

So back to my hymn.

The line "Jesus I have promised to serve thee to the end", could potentially be another point for debate or unpacking.

The essential question is: 'Who is Jesus?' Is Jesus God? Is Jesus just an inspirational teacher? I struggled with the concept that Jesus is God's only Son. 

 

I believe that everyone is a child of God. Jesus' divinity is similar to mine. We all carry the 'God-spark'. We are all called to follow in Jesus' footsteps. He is the way; he showed us the way of open-handed living, caring for our neighbours, praying in solitude, and he taught us how to be whole. 

That is the Jesus I follow and want to get close to.

 

The next stumbling block for me, is the word 'Master'. 

For some reason, I struggle with authority. Or perceived authority.

In God's economy, everyone is equal, so the idea that one person is more important than another person grinds me. We come into the world with nothing, and when we die, we leave with nothing.

 

When ‘Master’ indicates a skill-full individual it is a different story. Jesus has mastered the way to God. Jesus as teacher and Master, as my living example, the person I want to follow. Not necessarily imitate, I have to be the best version of 'me'; with the richness, insights and compassion of Jesus, my friend. 

 

The idea to surround ourselves with people, who live the life we want to live is a great starting point for life’s journey. Jesus is my friend and Master, and I look to him to grow closer to God. And Yes, I serve Jesus by being the best person I can be, growing closer to God and others may be inspired by my way of life and become curious and want the same. 

 

I follow and serve Jesus as a self-centred act and as an example and possibility for those around me. I do not follow the literalist Jesus as created by fundamentalist Christians, but the Jesus who shows us the way to the Divine, the Jesus who triggers the Spirit within me, who brings me back to the source of the Divine within me. 

 

The last verse of the hymn ends with

“O, give me grace to follow

My Master and my friend.”

 

Grace, as in smooth and filled with good will. In Christian literature Grace may be translated as filled with God’s help. I opt for both!

 

 

 Seek Peace. Find it within.