IV. THE PURPOSE OF CONSECRATION—TO WORK FOR GOD
[Since the meaning of consecration is to become a sacrifice, the thing offered is something which is entirely for God. The purpose of consecration, therefore, is to be used by God, to work for God. But in order that we may work for God, we must first let God work. Only those who have first let God work can work for God. We can only work for God to the extent that we allow God to work.
When the bullocks and rams were killed and offered to God as burnt-offerings, it was first necessary for God to do His thorough work upon them, that is, to consume them by fire, if they were to be pleasing and acceptable to Him. If the sacrifices were not consumed by fire, they would be raw and foul-smelling and could never be acceptable or pleasing to God. Our consecration today is just like that. We have already offered ourselves, yet if we do not allow God to work first, but go out to work for Him and serve Him directly, that work and that service will be raw, untempered, and foul-smelling. It can never be accepted by God, let alone satisfy Him.]
Therefore, we must consecrate ourselves to be worked on by God. Then His life will flow and grow within us, thus, making us ready to work for His eternal purpose.
V. THE RESULT OF CONSECRATION—TO ABANDON OUR FUTURE
A truly consecrated man is a man who has cut his ties with the world and binds himself to God. To him, his all is God, his hope is in God, his future is God. He lives every day to contact God, to enjoy God, to be filled up with God and to overflow with God. He is sorrowful when God’s desires are not met. He is happy when God’s desires are met. He is just involved with God. His own thoughts, desires and choices are put aside for God’s. Because he always and only knows that his place is on the altar, his future is to be ashes in God.
[This giving up of the future is not a reluctant act after something has already occurred to wreck your future hopes; it is a willing surrender before such an event. It is not waiting till you have lost or failed in your business and then giving up. It is not waiting till you lose your job, till you cannot enter college, or till you fail to obtain a Ph.D. degree, and then give up. It is not this. When we speak of giving up the future, we mean that when a profitable business opportunity awaits you, when an excellent job awaits you, or when a Ph.D. degree awaits you, you willingly give it all up for the Lord’s sake. This is truly called the giving up of the future. Even if the entire glory of Egypt is placed before you, you can say to it, “Good-bye, I must go to Canaan.’’]
It does not mean that we should not do our duty as human beings on the earth. Yet, we should not be distracted and bound by all the earthly things. We should study hard and get the highest degree. We should do our job well to be advanced. But our future is God only, not a degree or a promotion. Whenever we find that our heart loves many things other than God Himself, we know that we need to be re-consecrated, to be ashes for God again.
(Lesson Book, Level 4: Life—Knowing and Experiencing Life, Chapter 8, by Witness Lee)
