"Nothing that a man owns and devotes to the Lord...may be sold or redeemed; everything so devoted is most holy to the Lord (Lev. 27:28)."
A footnote at the bottom of my Bible notes, "The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord." In other words, there are no take-backs. Once you have given something to the Lord, it belongs to Him.
Has it ever occurred to you that when you do your devotions, you are irrevocably giving yourself over to the Lord? I don't think that is typically what comes to mind. I sometimes think we are more devoted to our favorite sports team, to our work, or to our spouses, than we are to the Lord. I recall in my younger days, Olivia Newton-John singing a song with the lyrics, "hopelessly devoted to you." That may be what you wrote on that Valentine's Day card you gave your wife, but is that the song in your heart when you spend your quiet time with the Lord? Is that the level of commitment that you intend when you give Him the day and pray for His will to be done?
The motivation for doing so is that whatever we devote to the Lord becomes holy. While in our hands, it had some purpose, upon giving it to the Lord it took on a greater significance. It is now useful for His purpose. It can be used for the furthering of His Kingdom. It has become sanctified, made holy.
What is it that you are praying for? If you are praying for yourself, then the Holy Spirit sanctifies you, and makes you holy before the Lord. If you pray for your wife, Paul says that she is sanctified by your prayers (I Cor. 7:24). Your children, too, are sanctified, made holy and useful for God's purpose, when you give them over to Him.
However, the greater challenge is not to want to take back what we have committed to the Lord. It is tempting to do so. We don't always agree with the way the Lord is managing those areas or those things that we have given to Him. We cannot give to the Lord and have an agenda. When we give, that devoted thing or area of our life is now irrevocably His and we must trust that He will make the best use of it.
Godspeed, Phil
A footnote at the bottom of my Bible notes, "The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord." In other words, there are no take-backs. Once you have given something to the Lord, it belongs to Him.
Has it ever occurred to you that when you do your devotions, you are irrevocably giving yourself over to the Lord? I don't think that is typically what comes to mind. I sometimes think we are more devoted to our favorite sports team, to our work, or to our spouses, than we are to the Lord. I recall in my younger days, Olivia Newton-John singing a song with the lyrics, "hopelessly devoted to you." That may be what you wrote on that Valentine's Day card you gave your wife, but is that the song in your heart when you spend your quiet time with the Lord? Is that the level of commitment that you intend when you give Him the day and pray for His will to be done?
The motivation for doing so is that whatever we devote to the Lord becomes holy. While in our hands, it had some purpose, upon giving it to the Lord it took on a greater significance. It is now useful for His purpose. It can be used for the furthering of His Kingdom. It has become sanctified, made holy.
What is it that you are praying for? If you are praying for yourself, then the Holy Spirit sanctifies you, and makes you holy before the Lord. If you pray for your wife, Paul says that she is sanctified by your prayers (I Cor. 7:24). Your children, too, are sanctified, made holy and useful for God's purpose, when you give them over to Him.
However, the greater challenge is not to want to take back what we have committed to the Lord. It is tempting to do so. We don't always agree with the way the Lord is managing those areas or those things that we have given to Him. We cannot give to the Lord and have an agenda. When we give, that devoted thing or area of our life is now irrevocably His and we must trust that He will make the best use of it.
Godspeed, Phil
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