DON'T TAKE IT BACK
Growing up in a village setting gave me a glimpse about some religions. One of the things I noticed from those in traditional religion is that when they drop the kolanut or any object of sacrifice before the gods, that thing belongs to the gods, they can never take it back because it is assumed that the gods have accepted them. People claim to give to the Living God but do exactly opposite today.
After pledging our resources, time and even our lives to serve His purpose, sometimes with tears in our eyes, we renege in our promise and are too quick to retrieve our sacrifices. My friend, the moment we offer to God, it belongs to Him period! Going to take it back simply shows how unserious we are by not reverencing Him as God. It could rather be that we did not give it to Him in the first place or that we did, but not with the whole of our hearts.
Idol worshippers give to their dead gods which cannot speak (I Corinthians 12:2) and do not take back. What do we take the Living God for? We should rather make the consecration which Japheth made,
“… For I have opened my mouth unto the Lord, and I cannot go back” (Judges 11:35) (Read 11:30-40). God will not require you to sacrifice any human being today, but whatever it is that you are planning to take back or you have done already, you must repent!
Whatever you withhold from God, the devil has a way of taking it from you. Most times, when men withdraw their resources or any other cherished valuable, they end up losing even more. Is Jesus then not right when He said in Matthew 16:25 “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” In this new year, begin by giving Him your very heart. “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways” (Proverbs 23:26). After that, lay all that you have on the altar.
Let your prayer now be – Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee; Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold; Take my will, and make it Thine; It shall be no longer mine. Happy new year of total consecration to God!
