Consecrated to the Lord
Consecration is a word that we do not use very often. Most of the time we hear people talk about making a commitment or a re-commitment, instead of consecration. However, there is a very important difference. The priests, beginning with Aaron, the first High Priest of the children of Israel, were consecrated.(Leviticus 8:22,23) I believe all believers need to be consecrated to the Lord, not just committed. Let me explain.
A priest was set apart from the rest of the people in a ceremony which included making sacrifices and putting blood on their right ear, right thumb, and right big toe. All of this was to drive home the point to them and to the rest of the people that they were different. They were the only ones God allowed to do the sacrifices and to touch the other holy things in the tabernacle. This was an honor, but more than that, it was a way of life. The priests did not do what everyone else did, they did what God told priests to do. There were no questions about this. That is consecration.
Today, when a person makes a commitment, most of the time it is seen as a voluntary choice on our part. We can follow through with it, or stop doing what we committed to do, but it is all about us and what we decide to do. This allows a lot of our flesh to enter the equation. It is about what we do for the Lord, not about what He has for us to do. That is the problem with commitment. Most of the time we fail to keep our commitments, since we are in charge. Consecration is surrendering ourselves to the Lord to do whatever He says for us to do. We do not get to pick and choose. We are set apart for Him. When we consecrate ourselves to the Lord fully, we are much more likely to live in obedience.
What will it take for you to consecrate yourself to the Lord from now on? That is the question we should ask, not what commitment should I make to the Lord.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Leviticus 9-12.
A priest was set apart from the rest of the people in a ceremony which included making sacrifices and putting blood on their right ear, right thumb, and right big toe. All of this was to drive home the point to them and to the rest of the people that they were different. They were the only ones God allowed to do the sacrifices and to touch the other holy things in the tabernacle. This was an honor, but more than that, it was a way of life. The priests did not do what everyone else did, they did what God told priests to do. There were no questions about this. That is consecration.
Today, when a person makes a commitment, most of the time it is seen as a voluntary choice on our part. We can follow through with it, or stop doing what we committed to do, but it is all about us and what we decide to do. This allows a lot of our flesh to enter the equation. It is about what we do for the Lord, not about what He has for us to do. That is the problem with commitment. Most of the time we fail to keep our commitments, since we are in charge. Consecration is surrendering ourselves to the Lord to do whatever He says for us to do. We do not get to pick and choose. We are set apart for Him. When we consecrate ourselves to the Lord fully, we are much more likely to live in obedience.
What will it take for you to consecrate yourself to the Lord from now on? That is the question we should ask, not what commitment should I make to the Lord.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Leviticus 9-12.