Whole-hearted commitment

Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”
- Joshua 3:5

When the Lord does amazing things in our midst, will we be ready?

Today’s passage includes this brief phrase right before Joshua led God’s people into the Promised Land: “Consecrate yourselves.” Joshua wants the people to be fully ready to follow God in the crucial moment.

As we reflect on what it looks like for us to live the courageous lives God has for us, we would do well to consider ways that we can deepen our commitment to him. Here are three different ideas that we can explore:

1) Cleansing Actions
One element of consecration is to get rid of the dirty, icky, gross, bad stuff that bogs us down. With God’s help, we can abandon patterns of habitual sin. We can forgive people who have wounded us. We can apologize and seek to make amends where necessary.

2) Seeking Transformation
The person or thing that is consecrated is often transformed. Old names are abandoned and new ones are taken up. With God’s intervention, healing of old emotional and spiritual wounds can heal. The way we see ourselves can begin to change.

3) Discovering Purpose
Finally, the work of consecration dedicates a person or thing to specific purpose. We can pray for greater clarity about God’s purposes for us. We can ask our community to affirm what they see in us. We can commit to acting on God’s purposes for us, whatever they may be.

What are your practices for committing yourself whole-heartedly to the Lord?

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