168, No More, No LessSample

Day #4 Wisely consecrating yourself to God

Consecration is a theme that is often preached in churches. To consecrate oneself is to set oneself apart for God. That is to give Him time that we would give to other things that are futile or legitimate but of lesser importance.

The apostle Paul says that we must offer our bodies to God as living sacrifices, which will be reasonable worship on our part. This verse is often misunderstood.

Offering my body means that I offer my whole life to God through my obedience to do His will. It represents a sacrifice since I am no longer acting according to my own will but His.

“Reasonable worship” means that there is no other possible response to Jesus' sacrifice than to live entirely for Him.

And if He died for all, it was so that those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again for them. 2 Corinthians 5:15 (SG21)

The problem is that when we think our responsibilities are not a service to God, we tend to sacrifice them thinking we are "spiritual”.

You must understand that not all sacrifices are accepted by God. For a sacrifice to be accepted by God, it must be inspired by the Holy Spirit.

When Mary offered the equivalent of a year's salary to anoint Jesus with perfume, it was an extravagant offering for reason but reasonable and good from Jesus' point of view.

But if you don't take care of your own family because you are too busy serving the Lord or giving to the church what should serve the welfare of your family then that sacrifice is not accepted by God and you are "worse than an unbeliever”.

Remember my vision about marbles. The only marbles I can dedicate to a ministry are the ones I have left after I have filled the pots of my responsibilities.

Consecration is not taking the time my children or my wife need to give to the church. Consecration means, for example, taking the time I spent watching television to pray instead.

Another lie of the religious spirit is that if I take care of the Lord's business, I am relieved of my responsibilities. It is true that if I seek the kingdom of God first, all things will be given to me above. That said, at no time does our consecration release us from our responsibilities.

So when you make a sacrifice, ask yourself: Who did I put on the altar? Indeed, it is easier to sacrifice someone else than to sacrifice yourself.

Who did you put on the altar? Is it you or your children? If it is you, then it pleases God. But if you are sacrificing your children it is something that did not even occur to Him.

Jephthah offered his daughter as a sacrifice, something that God had not asked of him. Young girls in Israel began each year to commemorate her death by going out into the countryside to mourn her. What a senseless waste! Unnecessary sacrifices only bring tears, whereas sacrifices according to God attract His favor and produce life.

I conclude today with one final yet important statement: There is no point in comparing yourself to others.

If God grants one special grace to accomplish a specific mission, do not try to imitate him, without God's grace it is impossible!

David Théry

Practical teachings to experience God