"...Consecrate yourselves today to the LORD, that He may bestow on you a blessing this day..."We've heard the word "Consecrate" or "Consecrated" tossed around in Christian circles, but few people understand the true meaning of the word. To get a deeper understanding of this we really don't need to go too deep at all however. According to dictionary.com consecrate is define as follows:
Con-se-crate [kon-si-kreyt]
- to make or declare sacred; set apart or dedicate to the service of a deity: to consecrate a new church building.
- to make an object of honor or veneration; hallow: a custom consecrated by time.
- to devote or dedicate to some purpose.
- to admit or ordain to a sacred office.
Consecrating Our Talent unto the Lord
These definitions hopefully lay out in more detail what this word means, but let's make it really simple. When we consecrate something we are setting it apart for God. An example is: For years I've played the guitar. When I became a Christian I consecrated this talent unto the Lord. This isn't saying I will only play Christian music, but I have decided to NOT play any music with content that is sinful. I also would never join a band that isn't playing music for God's glory. There are Christians who play in secular bands and I'm not against their choice. Perhaps they can be a light there. I have chosen however to not do so, and this way I've consecrated my talent unto the Lord. This is only one of many examples of Consecration.
Consecrating Our Material Possessions unto the Lord
We are to Consecrate our material possessions unto the Lord. Most people allow themselves to be defined by their material possessions. The car they drive, the clothes they wear, the home they own, and they toys we cling to should only be there for us to use. They shouldn't become objects for us to achieve a certain social status, or to obtain any sense of self-worth. God wants us to seek Him for our fulfillment and not material possessions.
1 Timothy 6:17 say's,
Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.Notice the above verse doesn't say anything is wrong with being rich, but simply warns us not to be haughty, which means snobbish. There is also a warning for us not to place our trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God. Then this verse reveals something about God's generosity to us. It ends by saying God gives us richly all things to enjoy. So God is not trying to make us poor as some may teach. He also may not make you rich, but I believe He is a good Father to us, and He won't give us anything that would cause us to drift away from our safety in Him.
Philippians 3:7,8 say's,
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.When it comes to material possessions this is the attitude we should have. When we learn this simply truth that nothing compares to God, then we focus on the Heavenly things that are eternal, and the things of this world will grow strangely dim.
What is awesome too is that He knows our needs before we even ask for them. This includes our material possessions too, but He doesn't want us to make them idols blocking us from worshiping Him.
In Matthew 6:31-34 Jesus tells us,
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Consecrating Our Relationships unto the Lord
I love my wife and would gladly lay down my life for her, but I'm not to love her more than I love God. My wife belongs to God just as I do. We do not belong to each other more than we belong to God. Our children also must take a back seat to God, and they should not love us more than they love God. Our love for God should exceed our love for anyone else.
Mathew 10:37 say's,
He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
Consecrating Our Life unto the Lord
2 Corinthians 5:15 say's,
and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
Romans 12:1,2 say's,
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
The irony of consecrating our life to God is that we are giving Him something that is already His anyway. I mean He is fully able to MAKE you do His will, but He has instead chosen to give us the opportunity to choose to set aside our life as a holy offering to Him, or as the above verse says, "present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."
The word life includes so many different things that we need to break it down and get a fine tuned look at what we are to consecrate unto the Lord. We are to consecrate:
- Our Future Plans (Isaiah 30:1; Jeremiah 29:11)
- Our Desires/Lusts (1 John 2:16,17)
- Our Pride (Proverbs 16:18)
- Our Worldly Success (Revelation 3:17)
- Our Unforgiveness (Matthew 18:34-35)
- Our Anger (Psalm 37:8)
- Our Selfishness (Romans 2:8,9)
... and there are many more things, but the Holy Spirit will reveal them to you as you allow Him to work in your life and don't resist Him. In other words Consecration means putting Christ at the center of your life and keeping Him there.
Luke 14:33
So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
What a great verse to summarize this with. This really sums it up... we must forsake ALL that we have and give it all to Him. In doing so, you are seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. What things? God will meet our needs and will even bless us with our wants if they don't come before Him in our heart. Remember, He gave His EVERYTHING for us on the cross at Calvary, so shouldn't we give Him all of us?
