Consecration

Scripture

Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the LORD your God.

~Leviticus 20:7, NIV

Quote

Have you given your whole life—everything—over to Jesus.

~Robert J. Morgan

Consecration is an Old Testament word. I don’t think it is found in the New Testament. It is certainly a word we do not use anymore. A modern synonym would be re-dedicate. Do you remember in the old days when at revival meetings, people would rededicate their lives to Christ. The OT altar of burnt offerings had meat hooks on it. The flesh has a tendency to slip off the altar before it can be totally consumed. I was saved at the age of nine but I didn’t commit wholly until I was 19 and in those days we called that second decision a rededication. It involved repentance, re-alignment with God’s purpose and a surrending of self. Francis Havergal was a singer and hymn writer. She was very gifted as a singer and made her living singing but not strictly gospel music. On December 2, 1873 she rededicated her life, giving herself wholly to Christian music. She became an avid personal evangelist and disciple maker.

Her first project was to invite ten friends to be a part of her disciple making class. By the time she had finished, all ten had committed their lives to Christ. After their last meeting together, Francis was so excited that she could not sleep so she wrote a song…TAKE MY LIFE, LET IT BE.

Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
let them flow in endless praise,
let them flow in endless praise.

2 Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for thee,
swift and beautiful for thee.

3 Take my voice and let me sing
always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from thee,
filled with messages from thee.

4 Take my silver and my gold;
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
every power as thou shalt choose,
every power as thou shalt choose.

5 Take my will and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne,
it shall be thy royal throne.

6 Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee,
ever, only, all for thee.

Life is a series of letting things go. I don’t play sports anymore; I had to let it go. There are a lot of other things I had to let go. Consecration is a series of giving things up before you have to let go. You can give HIM your silver and gold now or you can cling to it until He takes it. One way or the other, He will get it because it belongs to Him. If you choose to give it, there is reward. It you choose to keep it, there is a penalty.

Extra

Switching gears today: study and visiting LORD willing. I have one more meeting with the man but I am fairly certain the Guatemala trip has been fully funded without anymore offerings.

Have a great day and thanks for reading the blog.

Extra/Extra

~National Day of Prayer May 7, 5:00 am-11:00 am