I once interviewed for a job where they told me about eighty other people had applied. I started thinking about what I could do to set myself apart from the other people. When you think that way, you prepare differently. I wanted them to know I was ready to take on the job so I spent some time before the interview studying the role. I thought about the type of impact I could make in that role, how my personality would fit in with the existing team and how my approach could give them better than average results. Most people going into an interview won’t prepare themselves for the job, much less the interview. They won’t stand out or show that they’re ready to take the next step and be an asset. Because I approach and prepare this way for interviews, there are very few times I haven’t gotten the job.
In Joshua 3, the Israelites had been wandering in the desert for forty years. Their parents had told them how God had rescued them from Egypt and how they didn’t trust Him to give them victory over the land. This generation had seen God provide mana every day, bring water from the rock and lead them by fire or cloud. As they camped at the Jordan, in verse 5, Joshua said “Get yourselves ready! Set yourselves apart for Yahweh! Tomorrow, Yahweh will perform for us great miracles!” (TPT) One translation says, “Consecrate yourselves.” Consecration is a preparation process. God was telling the people to set themselves apart from other nations, to prepare themselves differently than other people and to be devoted to the task at hand. He did this so they would be ready to cross the Jordan and be prepared to take the land in front of them.
2 Timothy 2:21 says, “Those who make themselves clean from all those evil things, will be used for special purposes, because they are dedicated and useful to their Master, ready to be used for every good deed” (GNT). There is a preparation, or a consecration, we must go through to be used by God that prepares us for every good work. Most of us sit around and wait on God to pick us to be used by Him or we raise our hand saying, “Here am I, send me.” However, most of us won’t go through the consecration process to prepare our hearts, minds and bodies to be used by Him. We must set ourselves apart from others in how we live, talk and worship. Paul goes on to tell Timothy that a house has many different types of plates and utensils, but those who make themselves set apart and are consecrated will be used for special purposes. In what ways is God asking you to consecrate yourself for His purposes? What do you need to give up or change so you’re ready to enter the promised land He has for you?
Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
Devotions by Chris Hendrix 