Miriam Thurlow writes
Why is consecration an important part of our worship?
As I’ve been reflecting on New Wine and what God spoke to me there, I keep coming back to consecration, and asking 2 questions:
· What does it mean to consecrate ourselves before God?
· And why is it an important part of our worship?
We see that consecration plays an important role in worship throughout the whole of the Bible. God is holy, and so to enter into His presence we also have to be holy. When the Bible talks about impurity it means being unclean and impure, and ultimately leads to death. Whereas when it talks about purity it is talking about being clean and pure, and leading towards life.
In the Old Testament in order to be made pure (consecrated) sacrifices were made and rituals were carried out. God wants His people to draw near to Him but they need to be made clean first. In fact the Bible Project describes the book of Leviticus in this way: God graciously provides a way for people to live in His presence.
But when Jesus came to earth He embodied holiness, He was God’s temple on earth, God’s presence dwelt fully in Him. And no longer were sacrifices and sanctification rituals needed because Jesus made a way so that we might enter into God’s presence. We don’t have to achieve or earn a ‘clean’ status, God’s grace was won for us on the cross. Jesus consecrates us, we simply have to ask and offer ourselves to Him.
Amazingly, when we choose to follow Him, we also become temples of His presence because the Holy Spirit dwells in us (1 Cor 6:19). Consecration therefore is about dedicating ourselves afresh to the purposes of God, realigning ourselves with God; that we might live as His temples on earth so others might encounter His presence through the Holy Spirit at work in us.
I invite you to spend some time reflecting on the lyrics of Make Room and prayerfully ask God to realign yourself with Him and His purposes. Are there any burdens or crowns that you need to bring before Jesus to make room for Him?
Here is where I lay it down
Every burden, every crown
This is my surrender
This is my surrender
Here is where I lay it down
Every lie and every doubt
This is my surrender
And I will make room for You
To do whatever You want to