Consecrate

Consecrate. A word we hear sometimes, never use, and rarely give a second thought.

Even so, it is a word that God has declared over these days leading 

to Bulgaria, and over the entire trip.  

Consecrate means to "declare something sacred, to ordain or to formally dedicate".

Such He is now doing.

The timing of Bulgaria isn't exactly perfect.  It has come at the busiest, most chaotic time of the year.  Soccer games, revival services, trip to Florida for a college visit, senior trip, another college visit, away games, and a boat load of school work and projects all coming due at the same time, not to mention preparing to graduate.  

And on the tale end of this crazy jumble of activity lies 10 days - consecrated.  

10 days set apart, declared holy, and dedicated to Jesus.

And in these 10 days, God promises to work, to move, and to do amazing things.

Elevation Worship has a song entitled The King is Among Us which God used to begin opening my eyes to His heart for the trip. 

He's still of the God of miracles - He's still the God of big, impossible things.  He's still the God of the miraculous, and He still invites us to join Him in this. 

In church, pastor John reminded me of just how much we fail to remember how big our God is.  

We expect small things, ask for the minimum, and forget that we have the God that walks on water, raises the dead, feeds the thousands and saves our souls.

As a team, we've hoped that we'll be able to lead some, ("please, Lord, at least just one!") of the Bulgarian students to the Lord. 

But now I expect, I beg, "God - revive Bulgaria!" 

"Use the 10 days we have to touch the nation - whether we touch the students we work with, they touch their families, their families touch their neighbors, their neighbors touch the country - or however You choose to work, do the BIG things!   Show yourself as the God of miracles, break chains, transform lives like the God you are."

We've boxed God up in our minds - it's time we let Him out.  

In the business, in the daily rush of mundane life, He calls and presents us with opportunities to work with Him, to learn from Him, to hear His heartbeat for our lives. 

But I'll be the first to admit that I forget to listen.

I get lost in daily, sometimes even lost dreaming of a future day when it'll be my sole purpose to work with Him, forgetting that that is my sole purpose now.

But our God of grace calls still, still presents the opportunities, and still invites us to join. 

When the chaos threatens to overwhelm, consecrate. 

Consecrate yourself to our God - declare your life as sacred to His service.

See trials as season of growth opportunities, and take Jesus's yoke on yourself, laying down your own. (Matthew 11:29)

We leave for Bulgaria in 5 days.  Those will be some of the most chaotic and stress-filled days I've yet to experience.  This month has already contained times of extreme stress and business. But this is a season I have to consecrate to my God. 

This is a season I have to be weak so that I can embrace my God's strength before 

leaving for Eastern Europe. 

This is a season I have to die to myself and turn to my only true Hope.

This is my season to consecrate.