Consecrated

God was not casual about who carried His presence. They didn't just wake up and decide to lead.

They were washed.

They were dressed.

They were marked.

Blood on the ear.

Blood on the thumb.

Blood on the toe.

    And just yesterday I was talking with my daughter-in-law about ministry. About being called. About how when you step into it, you are held to a different standard. Not because you're better than anyone else. But because you're carrying something holy. Your life isn't your own anymore. But I also told her, it was freely given.

    No one forced me to say yes to ministry. No one forced me to surrender my plans. I said yes. And when you say yes, you say yes to being marked. You say yes to guarding your ears, what you listen to matters. You say yes to guarding your hands, what you build matters.

And You say yes to guarding your steps because where you walk matters.

    Consecration isn't about robes anymore. It's about alignment. It's about not dragging my flesh into the sacred spaces. It's about not leading from my ego. It's about not living casually when you know you're carrying something eternal.

    And This isn't just for pastors because We are all called to serve. Every believer is called to consecrate their life to Him. You may not stand behind a pulpit. You may never hold a microphone. But you carry His name. You carry His Spirit. Which means your ears matter. Your hands matter. Your steps matter.

    Exodus 29:45 says, "I will dwell among them." That was the end goal. God wanted to dwell with His people. And in Exodus 30 the incense burns morning and evening. Constant prayer. Washing before entering. Oil that couldn't be copied. It was about presence not performance. Inviting his presence in and preparing ourselves to be worthy of it.

    Today that might look like not forgetting your morning prayer time before the day runs away from you. Evening prayer even when you're tired. Cleansing your heart when frustration tries to take over. Guarding the oil that came from your pressing. Because the oil on your life came from something. It came from storms. From lessons. From tears. From obedience when it wasn't easy. That oil is sacred.

    And if we're going to carry it, whether in ministry leadership, motherhood, teaching, factory work, or just loving people well we can't treat our lives like they're common anymore.

    Consecration is daily.

It's waking up and saying, Lord, my life is Yours again today. Not because I have to. But because I chose to. So mark my ear. Mark my hands. Mark my steps. And dwell here in me.

Not just in churches. In our hearts. In our homes.

In us ordinary people who have decided their lives will no longer be common but set apart for you.

Love Pastor Mandy 

Ark of Hope Ministry 

Daily reading Exodus 29-30