LIGHTHOUSE DAILY DEVOTION
(Sent daily except Sunday)
(Some of the Devotions are original, some are adapted)
April 15, 2021
THE BLESSING OF CONSECRATION
Exodus 32:29 - “For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to day to the LORD, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.”
Moses had just returned from the mount where he had been communing with God for forty days. God warned Moses that when he came back into the camp, he would find that the people had corrupted themselves, made a golden calf, and were sacrificing to it. However, Moses was not prepared for what he saw. The man of God was overtaken with grief and anger. He rebuked Aaron and pronounced judgment on the people who had turned to idolatry. Moses made a public call for those who would stand with him to come forward. The sons of Levi responded. They were then commissioned to slay those committed to idolatry. Three thousand men were slain.
In giving the sons of Levi their assignment, Moses called them to “Consecrate yourselves to day to the LORD, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.” This would be no easy task because they would have to execute some of their closest relatives, friends, or neighbors. But they were promised a blessing from God if they would consecrate themselves. The word consecrate means “to be devoted or to be given wholly.” These men were to be given wholly to God. It would take that kind of commitment or surrender to carry out God’s instructions, but God would see to it that they were adequately blessed.
God is still looking for men and women who will be consecrated to Him, and be willing to obey His call, whatever that might be. Sometimes God’s plan for our lives will not be easy or convenient. There will be decisions we have to make that are not popular. Just as these sons of Levi were to enforce judgment on people they were close to, we also may find ourselves on the side of criticism or unpopularity if we stand with God, even from those we love and care for deeply.
If people are not consecrated to God completely, they will not be able to follow Him faithfully and fully. Are you consecrated to Him? As they were consecrated to Him, He promised to “bestow upon you a blessing this day.”
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Wit and Wisdom – If God seems far away – guess who moved!
Point to Ponder – We are all part of the ultimate statistic – ten out of ten die.
