Dear Church Family,
I greet you with the peace and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Today, I want to reflect on a powerful teaching from John Wesley that has guided countless Christians on their journey of faith: the concept of the “means of grace.” Wesley understood these means as the channels through which God’s grace flows into our lives, helping us grow in faith, love, and holiness.
The means of grace include practices like prayer, reading and meditating on Scripture, participating in worship, partaking in the sacraments, and fasting. These spiritual disciplines are not merely religious rituals, but ways we open ourselves to God’s transforming presence. Wesley believed that when we engage in these practices with sincere hearts, we position ourselves to receive the grace that strengthens us to live as faithful disciples.
Wesley was careful to remind us that the means of grace are not the end goal themselves, but tools to draw us nearer to God. Through prayer, we converse with the Lord, bringing our joys, concerns, and needs before Him while listening for His voice. In reading the Scriptures, we encounter God’s living Word, guiding and shaping us. The sacraments of baptism and Holy Communion remind us of God’s promises and unite us with Christ’s body. These are sacred moments where God meets us, renews us, and sends us out into the world as His hands and feet.
Beloved, I encourage each of you to take time this month to engage in the means of grace with intention. In moments of prayer, open your heart to the Lord’s presence. As you read Scripture, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal fresh truths to guide your steps. When we gather for worship and partake in the Lord’s Supper, come with expectant hearts, knowing that God is present among us, working His will in our lives.
May we never grow weary in pursuing these practices, for through them, God continually shapes us into the people He has called us to be. Let us remain faithful, trusting that His grace is more than enough for every season of our lives.
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Luke10:27
With every blessing in Christ,
Rev. Hyuntae Kim, Ph.D.
