Consecrate Yourselves

"For I am the LORD your God.

Consecrate yourselves therefore,

and be holy,

for I am holy.

And you shall not make yourselves unclean

with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth."

Leviticus 11:44 NASB

The gecko made its way up the wall, exploring the home of the family of four.  When it reached a certain point, it lost its footing and fell to its death.  When the woman of the Israelite home returned to her cooking area, she discovered the creature's body inside her favorite water jar, a vessel passed down to her from her mother.  According to God's law, she must now destroy this precious keepsake.  Her heart was broken.

Thankfully, I need not be concerned with making myself or any of my belongings impure by coming into contact with unclean creatures.  As one who has been bought at a price, however, I had better realize how I tarnish my testimony as a redeemed image bearer.  What kind of God do I represent to the world?

Holy God

She had worked hard all week and felt like she deserved a break.  When her friends invited her out to dinner, she eagerly accepted, ready for some fun after the grueling week that was finally behind her.  She briefly considered how this could be a temptation to return to drink after finally reaching the 3-months-dry mark, but she quickly dismissed the thought in her quest to enjoy the evening.  Unfortunately, the lure to relax with one drink had been too much for the young woman and she soon found herself in a drunken stupor after a night of drinking.

I've heard it said that, "The trouble with trouble is that is usually starts out as a whole lot of fun."  While there is nothing wrong with fun, relaxation and recreation, I must be careful of the temptations I expose myself to in my quest to enjoy life.  It is easy to justify this risky behavior by telling myself that everyone does it, or that God won't mind one slip-up.  

The reality, however, is that my God is a holy God and my sin is an affront to Him and the sacrifice His son made on my behalf.  If He was willing to go to such lengths to cover my transgressions, I had better be serious about avoiding temptation at all costs. (James 4:4-7, 1 Timothy 6:11)

If my mouth is what gets me in trouble, then, I had better stay out of conversations that could turn ugly or from people who tend to push my buttons.  If it is my eyes that lure me into lustful exploration, I had better block all temptations that come through every electronic device.  If it is my ears that entice me into politically-centered belief systems or godless world-views, I had better avoid listening to those programs or opinionated people who tend to lead me away from godly truths.

Since I serve a holy God, I had better run from temptation, always taking the way out He mercifully provides.  (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Jealous God

I was hurt that she didn't want my help.  My friend was in a tough predicament and I wanted to walk with her through the dark valley.  Instead, she opted to go it alone, embarrassed for me to see her in such a lowly place.  In reality, I loved her enough to be able to look past her circumstances and simply be there for her.

It is hard when someone I love turns elsewhere for support and assistance.  When I care about a friend or family member, that kind of help is part of the relationship and I have found that walking together through hard times strengthens a bond between two people.  

It's not so different with God.  He loves me with an enduring love that runs deeper than the ocean.  When I turn to other sources for wisdom, provision of needs, and guidance, it must hurt Him deeply.  He is a jealous God.  He is not jealous of me, but He is jealous for me.  It is His desire that I depend solely on Him as my only Source of support, help and supply.

Therefore, when I don't know what to do, instead of talking to a friend, seeking out so-called expert advice, or searching the Internet for answers, I can turn to God first.  He can be the One I run to at the beginning of every crisis, believing that He holds the solution to all my problems.  Instead of turning to Him as a last resort or after checking out my options, keeping Him at the top of my list of go-to-resources will show my understanding of His jealous nature.

Since I serve a jealous God, I had better turn to Him first as my only Source of supply, understanding, and direction.

Unchanging God

"Come mothers and fathers throughout the land, and don't criticize what you can't understand.  Your sons and your daughters are beyond your command, your old road is rapidly agin'.  Please get out of the new one if you can't lend your hand, for the times they are a-changin'."

You might recognize these words as the lyrics from a 1963 Bob Dylan song* called "The Times They Are A-Changin' " that served as a call to accept the change that was occurring in our country.  While he may have been mostly referring to civil rights, there is also a sense he's talking about other more sinister changes.  To whatever it is that he refers, the meaning is clear: Climb on board or get out of the way because the train of revolution is leaving the station.

Change is definitely a part of living in this world.  Values shift to accommodate new beliefs and soon we find that we've compromised so much of what we know to be true until we can't tell where we stand.  While the times might change, and people may adjust their points-of-view accordingly, God never changes.  (James 1:17)

It is easy to get caught up in the flow of the times.  I read God's Word and understand that He holds all human life as precious, yet my heart hurts for women who find themselves between a rock and a hard place. (Genesis 9:5-6, Exodus 20:13)   Therefore, I compromise what I know to be true and support abortion in the case of rape or incest.

I know that God is a God of purpose and that He created all things in just the way He wanted them to exist. (Genesis 2:23-24) When I learn the heart-wrenching stories of couples who can't express their love for one another because of their sexual orientation, though, I may be tempted to adjust my beliefs to accommodate their desire to marry.

I agree with God when He says I should be a woman of my word, but when it seems there is no other way, I adjust the numbers in an effort to stay in the lower tax bracket. (Exodus 20:16, Leviticus 19:11, Proverbs 12:22) 

Since I serve an unchanging God, I had better do what I know is right while standing for the Truth in this dark world.

Even though I don't need to worry about how I defile myself by what I touch or eat like God's people of old did, I do need to be concerned about how I taint my testimony of the God I serve.  Therefore, I must act as if I understand the holy, jealous, unchanging nature of God, letting these attributes influence the way I live.  In these ways I will show myself to be consecrated for His purposes.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can take God seriously as I walk with Him.

When do I turn to other sources for help when I'm in trouble?

How do I change my beliefs in order to keep up with the thinking of the times?  

* http://www.bobdylan.com/us/songs/times-they-are-changin#ixzz2lNHOmAH8

Reverence Misplaced

"You shall have no other gods before me."

Exodus 20:3

It made me uncomfortable just to see it.  My husband and I were watching an early episode of the reality show "Survivor," and the contestants were required to enter into the temple of the locals' god and pay homage to the idol placed there.  Out of respect for their host's beliefs, contestants were told, it was important that they make this gesture of goodwill.

As we watched the group kneel down, I put myself in their position, wondering if I would be able to stand against the producers of the show and refuse to do as they say.  Would I honor God by refusing to worship this carved image?

While I've never been faced with such a dilemma, I am often challenged by a similar predicament.  Even though I don't bow down to other gods, if I'm honest with myself, I do revere people, things, or interests above the One True God.  As a result, I break the first commandment that specifically tells me that He is to be the only God I worship.

How do I know if these other things have been elevated to the status of god?  There are a few simple tests I can use to gauge their position on my ladder of priorities.

Time Spent

We each have been given the same amount of it.  Every man, woman and child are on equal footing when it comes to this resource.  No one has any more or any less than anyone else.  I can waste it, letting it slip through my fingers like so much sand, or I can value it, squeezing every ounce of purpose out of what I've been given.  Either way, I can never retrieve that which is used up.

Time is the great equalizer.  We've all got exactly the same amount to utilize and how we spend that valuable God-given resource is up to us.  The way I use it tells a lot about the condition of my heart and what I treasure.  If success is of the utmost importance to me, I'll spend a lot of time chasing after it.  If having a family is what I deem as significant, I will use the time I have to search for a suitable husband and then create the home of which I've always dreamed.  If recreation is what I love, I'll spend much of my allotted time playing and watching sports.

None of these pursuits are bad unto themselves, but I must ask myself where God fits in to my life.  If He is relegated to a minor position as other loves become bigger than my devotion to Him, then I have a problem.

When teaching about what we value, Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21)  My heart follows my affections.  The amount of the limited quantity of time I've been given that I devote to something is a good indicator of what I care about.  When I invest a lot of this precious resource to earthly treasures, my affections will follow.  When I choose to give more of my time to thinking about God, meditating on His Word, obeying His calling on my life and learning more about Him, then my heart will be more wholly devoted to Him.

God, the lover of my soul, desires that I treasure Him above all things.  When my heart is dedicated to Him in such a way, I will grow closer to Him and love Him more than anything or anyone else.  It is then that He will be my one and only God.

How I spend my time is a good indicator of what I value and whether or not something or someone else has been elevated to a position of "god' in my life.

Faith Placed

She really believed in the organization.  Whenever I talked to her, she would rave about the benefits associated with the multi-level marketing company of which she was a part.  She extolled it's virtues and could never say enough about it.  She committed to memory countless number of testimonials about how this program had changed the lives of everyday people. It was clear that my friend was sold out to her business.

While this woman claimed Christ as her Lord and Savior, she placed her faith in the company she so clearly loved.  She trusted it to save her from a meaningless life, giving her a purpose and a goal.  There was also a belief that the program would provide a certain level of income, helping her to dig her way out of debt.  Never did I hear her give credit to God for His plan or provision.  Instead, it was all about the business.

I admit, this may be an extreme example, but there are ways I too am at risk of placing my faith in things or people instead of God.  When I am faced with a dilemma, I may automatically think of all the resources to which I can turn to for help, never considering the One who owns the cattle on a thousand hills.  (Psalm 50:10)  Or how many times do I refer a friend to a government agency when she comes up short instead of calling out to my Father who knows her needs?  (Matthew 6:31-34)  Or when do I call the doctor to heal my body but I never even think to put my health issues into the hands of the Great Physician. (James 5:14-15)

Where I place my faith is a good indicator of what I believe to be the answer to the problems I face and whether or not it is a "god" in my life.

Attention Focused

I enjoy high school football games.  While the game itself is fun to watch, my eye often is drawn to other distractions.  Sometimes I find myself watching the cheerleaders as they perform their routines.  Other times I engage in people watching as the spectators draw my attention.  Then there are the times when I focus in on the band who revs up the crowd with their peppy music.  Whatever the draw, I often miss a lot of the action that is taking place on the field.

One time I sat next to a woman who was passionate about football.  She never missed a play and noticed every flag thrown, foul missed or penalty called.  She was definitely a die-hard fan.  When I asked her if she had a son on the field, she replied, "No.  Our son plays in the band."  This woman simply loved football.

I knew where this fan's devotion lied by where she placed her attention.  It is the same with me in life:  Where do I most often rest my eyes?  Social media?  Entertainment?  Family?  Friends?  If I'm stuck in the doctor's waiting room, what catches my attention most?  Is it the People magazine, or the Bible?  Would I rather read a story in the Reader's Digest or Guideposts? 

This is not to say that any reading material is better than any other, but rather to ask myself, to what am I drawn?  Do I gravitate toward the things of God or am I more attracted to the things of the world?

Where I focus my attention is a good indicator of what is important to me and whether or not it is a "god" in my life.

God is a jealous God.  He is not jealous of me, but for me.  He is jealous of my time, my faith and my attention.  He created me so that I would willingly choose to place my life back in His hands, deeming Him as Lord of my life.  When I get distracted by other pursuits, interests or relationships, I may find myself misplacing the reverence due to God and God alone.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can revere God above all else.

When do I treasure the people I love above the God who made me for Himself?

To where is my attention most often drawn?