What Does It Mean to be Consecrated?

Exploring the sacred significance of devotion and being set apart

I am in a season of waiting for my next assignment from the Lord. Having been impacted by the “great tech layoffs,” I find myself in a place of transition.

So, I thought this would be a great time to inquire of this same Lord.

I have been putting into practice John Mark Comer’s sermon Listening to God (highly recommend!) and started waking up in the middle of the night to...listen.

I have no requests (though I throw them in every now and then), but I am just waiting for…something.

The word concentrated came up, and when I searched for a podcast to do a deep dive, I found this wonderful sermon by Jon Tyson:

It is a walk through what it means to be consecrated for this time. I’m very excited to be working on a book on this subject.

Merriam-Webster defines consecrate (adjective) as dedicated to a sacred purpose. Many times, Christians will consecrate themselves for a time of prayer or fasting to seek God for a specific purpose or answer or in a specific season. You can also live a consecrated life where you dedicate your life to serving God to missions, or to Jesus! I’ve also seen consecration described as “set apart” as in, to set apart yourself for consecration. God often set apart people in the Bible, including Paul,

“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures…”

Romans 1:1-2

Clergy, kings and queens, churches, and communion bread all undergo the ceremony of consecration and are consecrated. It is a serious and solemn affair.

For us regular folk, it can be brought down to be a personal and private work of the Holy Spirit. He wants to move in you, bringing you towards the immutable character of Christ. That takes time, and prayer, and fasting, and tears and trials and setbacks but what you get is a glorious life with Him filled with the grace, love, peace, joy of God. So, you can either be called to be consecrated, or you can take yourself willingly. Although truth be told, God really is in both options.

To be consecrated is to be set apart for Jesus. To obey his invitation to “Come, follow me” (Matthew 4:19) and find an easy yoke and an abundant life, not without trouble, but with much, much fruit and peace.

I leave you with these sobering words about dedication and service to God by Charles Spurgeon, in his devotional Morning and Evening from the entry for January 9th,

Obedience that is not voluntary is disobedience, for the Lord looks at the heart, and if He sees that we serve Him from force, and not because we love Him, He will reject our offering.

Take away joyful willingness from the Christian, and you have removed the test of his sincerity.

Reader, let me put this question to you: Do you “serve the Lord with gladness”? Let us show the people of the world, who think our religion is slavery, that to us it is a delight and a joy! Let our gladness proclaim that we serve a good Master.

-Charles Spurgeon