‘And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.’ Genesis 17:1–2
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: 3 John 1–8
Immediately after God appeared to Abraham, his consecration was manifest, first, in his prayer for his family. ‘O that Ishmael might live before thee!’ Men of God, if you are indeed the Lord’s and feel that you are his, begin now to intercede for all who belong to you. Never be satisfied unless they are saved too; and if you have a son, an Ishmael, concerning whom you have many fears and much anxiety, as you are saved yourself, never cease to groan out that cry, ‘O that Ishmael might live before thee!’
The next result of Abraham’s consecration was that he was most hospitable to his fellow men. Look at the next chapter. He sits at the tent door and three men come to him. The Christian is the best servant of humanity in a spiritual sense. I mean that for his Master’s sake he endeavours to do good to the sons of men. He is of all men the first to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, and, as much as lies in him, to ‘do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.’
The third result was that Abraham entertained the Lord himself, for amongst those three angels who came to his house was the King of kings, the infinite One. Every believer who serves his God does, as it were, give refreshment to the divine mind. I mean this: God took an infinite delight in the work of his dear Son. He said, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ He takes a delight also in the holiness of all his people. Jesus sees ‘of the travail of his soul,’ and is satisfied by the works of the faithful; and you, as Abraham entertained the Lord, also entertain the Lord Jesus with your patience, your faith, your love and your zeal, when you are thoroughly consecrated to him.
FOR MEDITATION: Consecration to God is a command to the Christian (Romans 12:1). Consider some of the practical outworkings as listed in Romans 12—the use of spiritual gifts (vv. 6–8), love (vv. 9–10), serving the Lord (v. 11), prayer (v. 12) and hospitality (v. 13). Is your body consecrated to God? Or do you still regard it as your own private property (1 Corinthians 6:19–20)?
C. H. Spurgeon and Terence Peter Crosby, 365 Days with Spurgeon (Volume 3), (Leominster, UK: Day One Publications, 2005), 355.