Consecration is being specially set aside in the sight of someone. It is that distinction that makes us vivdly visible even in the multitude of christians worldwide.
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Most people wonder why as a aMuslim, I tend to refer a lot the verses of the Bible. Oh well, he talks to us in the most unexpected ways.
Please open your Bible and read 1Peter 3: 13-17.
Using that passage that you have read as a shield or as a point of reference will give us an inkling to the greatness of what we are to talk about now.
Knowing how difficult and unachievable consecration can be in this day and age, we should not however forget that no one can harm us if we are zealous for what is right. Blessings are abundant to us even if we, through consecrating ourselves for God, suffer for righteousness’ sake.
Many will taunt and tease that decision on that issue that most will see as being trivial. Even brothers and sisters in the congregation will wonder why yours have to be extreme as if it is not the same God you all are serving. They forget that it is these extremities of yours on issues bordering on heaven that makes you different from them. It makes you weird and odd for God.
Like one of my Imams once asked me what kind of faithful I wanted to be. I didn’t understand what he meant even with his explanation that there were som faithfuls that just want the devil to be at peace and the angels to be happy.
I didn’t think anything of it until days later when I found myself praying about being sanctified and making submissiveness easy for us. I found myself wanting more than what I normally would want. I didn’t just want to be the kind that prays in the corner of my room, or the one that sit as the preaching is ongoing while his blackberry pings away. I wanted much more than that. And then I started longing for that presence or consciousness to be able to be different from any other person.
People don’t like spending much time with/during prayers. Most are plagued with knowing what to pray about. Most days, I forget about asking for things that I would have prepared myself to pray about; like prosperity, a good career, a promotion, Pulitzer or a Nobel laureate recognition. I would just spend time praying for God to let me worship him aright.
Consecration is forgetting about wealth because in actual fact, when one is sure of his holiness, every other thing will be added to him. I believe strongly in that so I don’t even bother asking for it. I just seek his face and be worthy in his presence and be useful to him.
We are on earth. We have laws governing where we live and even in congregations too.
Holiness is what consecration is all about. You should be ready to go beyond keeping the his Commandments. Other ways of being sure of consecration includes:
“ you shall not oppress your neighbor…( blasting that Labaika/Don Moen music so that everyone in your neighborhood will know you just got a new car or making sure your Jalamiyah in the brightest of colors).
“…the wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night until the morning…” (because your are the boss, you hold on to your maid’s salary because she broke a plate of yours two weeks ago or you slit the wage of your driver in half because you feel he has no real need of it and you are the boss.)
“you shall not curse the deaf (because he won’t hear you do it after all) or put a stumbling block before the blind…(just because you know he can’t see that it is there and you have been dared to do it). He that sees all and knows all is ever watching. Remember that.
“…you shall not hate your brother in your heart…” This means that you are not supposed to laugh and smile with that colleague of yours and scowl when her back is turned.
“…you shall do no wrong in judgment in measure of length, weight or quantity…” Yes, if you are in the business of selling through the use of weight and measures; don’t cheat your customers. Neither should you cut that two length fabric back with a quarter of a yard, it’s tantamount to stealing.
I can go on and on about issues that will not help us to being a holy vessel for God. But one thing we can always remember is that…
Be proud to say at the end that, like Paul to Timothy still in II Timothy 2:19, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
The Lord be with your spirit, His grace be with you. (Amen).
Asalamu alaykum, waramatullah wabarakatuhu.
Shallom!
