All tagged consecration

Today I invite you to join me as I ask myself if I have truly abandoned my entire self to God and Jesus Christ. Are they the focus and source of my life's energies, or do I simply vocalize their names so that I can feel good as I seek to understand what believing really is, and try to appear righteous before others until I can do so? Am I doing in my faith what Simon and Garfunkel wrote and sang about in their secular song titled “Fakin It” in 1968? Am I faking it until I can make it? Or am I following God and Jesus with a heart that belongs truly and completely to Them?

This morning I read about the relationship between being consecrated (becoming sacred or holy) and prayer. Although it is much like the chicken and the egg, in which we ask which came first, there is no doubt that they go hand in hand. But, reading the bible and attempting to adhere to every commandment without speaking with God is nearly impossible to my way of thinking. As a matter of fact, it would be ignoring a great portion of the bible itself as it deals with prayer, praying, and those who pray. Pastor E.M. Bounds, attempted to explain this conundrum to us in his discussion of prayer and consecration; yet still left us with a bit of the conundrum to consider. In one statement he says...

This morning let’s explore an important truth... Prayer and consecration are inseparable. These two attributes of a faithful life go hand in hand. I can imagine a scenario in which a person dedicates their life to God, but how long can that ideal be continued without having a personal conversation with God; without prayer? Such a dedication without the relationship that goes along with it is purely infatuation, and destined to fade away. Prayer is action; it is intimate, and strengthens us in our faith.

One morning I was reading about the multifaceted nature of prayer and paid special attention as the devotional spoke about the role that prayer played in consecration. I read on about the misconception that a person could be consecrated with little or no prayer, and wondered aloud to the Lord how that could possibly happen... how someone could truly dedicate their lives to Him without constantly speaking with Him in prayer.

This morning my devotional reading was on the subject of prayer, thanksgiving, and how their presence leads us to consecration. E.M. Bounds, the author, was very emphatic in his proclamation as he wrote these words: "True prayer and gratitude lead to full consecration, and consecration leads to more and better praying. A consecrated life is a life of both prayer and thanksgiving." So, when we read such things do we truly understand what it means to be consecrated?