Consecrated

There are lots of words in the Bible that are unfamiliar to us because they are rarely used in mainstream society’s vocabulary.

The unfamiliar word I want us to consider today is ‘consecrate,’ which means “to set apart.”  Take Joshua 3:5, for example:

“Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

The context of Joshua 3 is Israel’s preparation for entering God’s Promised Land after their 40-year wilderness journey.  God commanded them to consecrate themselves, to surrender themselves to His lordship. This meant they had to give up everything for Him, in complete dedication to Him.  This positioned them for the miracle they needed.

I grew up in a consecrated family.  My sister and I knew we were set apart based on the call of God on our parents’ lives. We were just as much a part of their ministry as they were. I also grew up knowing I was personally consecrated to God and called to His service.  My mother specifically prayed for a son that would complete her ministry, and within days she discovered she was pregnant with me. This year marks 39 years that I have been I’ve been consecrated to my Savior and to full-time ministry service.

Staying on the inside of the circle I have drawn to seek after my God in prayer is an act of consecration, just as it was for Honi the Circle Maker.  In fact, prayer is as much about consecration as it is about receiving answers.  God couldn’t perform the miracle of parting the Jordan without first the people being in divine connection.  And you can’t connect with the divine unless you are willing to consecrate yourself, to set yourself apart from this culture and this world’s influences.

I’ve been learning this concept for a long time. My first memory occurred while I was in elementary school.  Each morning, before I would get out of bed, I would hear my mother in the living room praying, “O God, convict George of his sins today!”  She understood that sin and godliness couldn’t live together.  She wanted to see me consecrated, separated from anything that wasn’t honorable to God, i.e. sin.

When we think of prayer, we often revert to a misconception that it’s nothing more than asking (or in most cases, telling) God what we need from Him.  We must dismiss that idea and realize that inside our circle of prayer we must be willing to conform ourselves to Christ’s likeness. Miracles occur when we as His people are first consecrated to Him. And, like Honi, we must draw a circle, step in, and stay there until our prayers are answered.  

My personal declaration during this 40-day prayer journey to Easter is simple:

“God, my heart longs for Your holiness.  I choose You over this world.   I’m willing to live consecrated, ‘set apart’ in Your presence.”

That’s the cry of my heart, but I can’t make that declaration for you. Will that be the cry of your heart in your circle today? 

I’ll meet you at the Throne.

Pastor George