consecration

I attended a church this past weekend that a friend of mine regularly attends. My friend has experienced a profound change in his life since hooking up with this church, so I am convinced that there are good things happening there. However, I am also confused by the content of the sermon we heard.

The minister, who I’ve heard before and been impressed with in the past, was talking about living a “consecrated life.” By this he meant a life set apart, a life devoted to God. He explained his meaning, focusing on a passage from Joshua in which the Israelite people consecrate themselves, and then went on to answer the all important question: why? Why consecrate yourself to God?

His answer disturbs me.

He said we consecrate ourselves to God because in doing so, we make ourselves available to all of God’s rich blessings. If we don’t devote ourselves we will miss out on so much that God has to offer. A full and rewarding life is waiting. Jesus has already suffered the pain, he said. We just have to answer his call.

In other words, he said that we devote our lives to God because we get something out of it—“blessings”. He spoke several times about a full life and about the “wealth” God wants to lead us into, but didn’t once mention the fact that devotion to God produces a deep relationship with him.

See, I think that’s the reason we devote ourselves. I think it’s all about relationship. And frankly, that’s good, because a lot of people who are devoted to God don’t live “rich” lives otherwise. They don’t seem to be inheriting the literal earth. But to come into a real and meaningful relationship with the God of the universe, now that’s something valuable. That’s something worth consecrating yourself for.

That’s also an explanation of consecration that places the value primarily on God, himself, rather than on what God can give you. For reasons I don’t know or understand, God “blesses” some with a lot and denies others. But he makes himself available to all—at least, that’s my meager understanding of him. This means that what truly matters, the real riches that are to be found in exploring the depths of relationship with him, this is well within the grasp of everyone and well worth consecrating yourself for. Worth living for. Worth dying for.

I haven’t told my friend I feel this way, though, because I fear he will take offense. He’s really into this church and it’s doing him a lot of good right now, in as much as I can tell, so I’m trying to not be critical. It’s not a church that I feel drawn to, but that’s okay. And I have confidence, not in his church, but in God, that he will continue to interact with my friend and guide him in the right way.

That’s what I hope for—for him and for me.