Consecration

Every New Year is regarded highly by almost everyone across the globe. Individuals, friends, and families get together to celebrate, reflect and give thanks for the year that has passed.

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It’s in my family’s tradition to get together with the rest of the villages in my home church. We spend the whole night worshiping God, sharing testimonies of how God has guided us throughout the year, and giving thanks to Him for His goodness.

There’s this particular year that for some reason I didn’t see the importance of getting together with the rest of the village in the church. I just went to church briefly to make an appearance then went back home to sleep. I thought to myself that I’d just go give thanks while in the comfort of my bed. I went to sleep and didn’t even pray as I thought I would.

A few days later when I was to travel back to the city my parents took me to church to pray for my journey mercies and just dedicated me to God because I was going away for a very long time. They took this opportunity to question why I didn’t stay for the New Year’s prayer. I gave a very casual answer that I always give thanks and didn’t see why that specific night was that important. This greatly displeased my parents and got them worried. I sounded so ungrateful and seemed not to regard my Christian faith highly, something they’ve done their level best to instill in me.

My parents questioned my Christian Faith. I argued with them that I usually pray and read my bible and go to church. I asked not to judge me. However, my dad asked me one very important question, “If you claim to walk your Christan life as you claim you do, why don’t we see it reflected in your life?”

That question made me reflect at that moment and it made so many things clear. I was always a lukewarm Christian. One foot in the church and another foot indulging in the pleasures of this world. I had not wholly consecrated my life to God. I realized that I never had a deep love for God but just attended church, prayed, and even read the Bible because it was the right thing to do. Professing to be wise, I was a fool.

As my parents were praying for me at that moment, I also whispered a prayer to God. I told Him that I wanted to put Him to the test that I would seek Him and I hope I found Him. The journey has been beautiful. I’ve seen God fulfilling His promise in the book of Jeremiah 29:13 in my life.

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:13

I stopped relying on my own effort to live right. I deliberately chose to consecrate my life to Christ and He come and lived in me. I now experience the joy of Christ working in and through me.

As we have learned in the past, we are naturally inclined to sin, and for us to be fully restored into the likeness of Christ our whole heart must be fully surrendered to God. We are to love God with all our heart, all our soul, and with all our mind (Mathew 22:37)

To consecrate is to make or declare something sacred; dedicate something formally for a religious purpose. We are to heed the call of God in Leviticus 20:7

 Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 20:7

The warfare against self is the greatest battle that was ever fought. The yielding of self, surrendering all to the will of God, requires a struggle; but the soul must submit to God before it can be renewed in holiness.

Steps to Christ

Our God is loving and does not require blind or forced submission to Him. He calls us to reason with Him. (Isaiah 1:18). He invites us to willingly give ourselves to Him so that He may perform His perfect will in us. He assures us in Jeremiah 29:11 that He has the best plans for us. We have to trust Him and claim this promise.

In giving ourselves to God, we must necessarily give up all that would separate us from Him. Hence the Saviour says, “Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh, not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:33. Whatever shall draw away the heart from God must be given up.

Steps to Christ

We must not rely on our own efforts to obey God’s law for us to be able to secure salvation. Our hearts must be moved by a deep sense of love for Christ. We will always enjoy communion with Him and always look up to Him who is the author and finisher of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2)

We are divinely purchased (1 Corinthians 6:19) and that means we are not of ourselves but of God. We are to give to God what belongs to Him and that is our lives. You might be wondering what we really need to give up when we give our all. We are to give up our sinfulness for us to be purified by the saving power of Christ’s blood.

God does not require us to give up anything that it is for our best interest to retain. In all that He does, He has the well-being of His children in view. Would that all who have not chosen Christ might realize that He has something vastly better to offer them than they are seeking for themselves. Man is doing the greatest injury and injustice to his own soul when he thinks and acts contrary to the will of God. No real joy can be found in the path forbidden by Him who knows what is best and who plans for the good of His creatures. The path of transgression is the path of misery and destruction.

Steps to Christ

Friend, do you feel it’s a lot of sacrifices to yield yourself to Christ? Christ gave us all. He lived with us, suffered for us, and ultimately gave up His life for our sake. Let’s realize this grace that has been poured on us and consecrate ourselves to God.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Amen.