Consecrated

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

CONSECRATED

Luke 2:21-24

21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived. 22 When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons."  

NIV

Here we have two events which are the Law of the Lord and Joseph and Mary complied with them which was the way they had to under the Law of the Lord. Of course this also was so Jesus would live a completely perfect life under the Law, thus fulfilling every aspect of the Law and being qualified to be our redeemer. We also see this truth that God the Father knows us and is concerned about us even before our being conceived. As the angel told Mary what name she would call Jesus even before he was conceived, God knows our name as well, even if our parents did not get a name from him, he still knows what they would decide our name to be. This is indeed a mystery, but it is the also the truth. God knows every aspect of our lives, even before we were conceived. It is as if he had already watched our entire life lived out before we actually lived it. This is much like us having seen a movie before, knowing the end, watching it again still having an interest in what happens throughout the movie. Although God knows how we will live our life and knows the end, that is if we will enter into his rest, or if we have condemned ourselves to perish, he is still interested in every aspect of our lives. The other truth here is in the event of consecrating Jesus to God. Although this was only to be done to the firstborn male, it is something we should consider. Should not our lives be consecrated to the Lord? As children many people are baptized in some method by their parents, as it is somewhat customary in many church going households. At least it has been over the past years and that may even be diminishing. Many of us who are believers in Christ decided to dedicate our lives and declare our intentions to follow Jesus and be baptized as adults or in some cases old enough children who know what they are doing. This is our declaration of living a life consecrated to God. When we say we want to follow Jesus, our lives should first start out being consecrated to the Lord. All else that follows should be determined by that statement of faith, by that act of consecration. This word, this action, in the Greek is ‘Hagios’, or Holy, which denotes, set apart for God, to be, as it were, exclusively his. The question is do we actually live like that? Do we live as if we are set apart for God that we are exclusively his? Do we make life choices based on our own desires, or on what he desires? Do we act toward others as we desire or as he desires? Do we respond as he would or as we would? They are so many aspects of our life we should consider since we have consecrated ourselves to him. Even our innermost thoughts should be examined. All this is still under the ever watchful eye of God, with him knowing how we will live. Will we ever be completely free of sin? It is doubtful, but we should make every effort to allow the Spirit to guide us in the way of a consecrated life. We still have the choice not to follow, but we made that choice to consecrate ourselves to God, so we should at least follow our own decision, and that of course is to allow the Spirit full access of our lives. We are consecrated to God.