Christmas Countdown 2018 Day 19
Today’s verse is using a big, fancy word that can be scary to us.
It sounds all restrictive and like we may need to go to some retreat center and do a spiritual overhaul but it’s just our own ignorance, misunderstanding and perceptions of the word that keep us stymied.
Let’s look at the NKJV…
And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.
John 17:19
Since we have been using two other translations during our countdown, I am going to reference those as well…
First from The Message:
I’m consecrating myself for their sakes so they’ll be truth-consecrated in their mission.
So we have “sanctify” and “consecrate” and right about now, if I didn’t know better about the heart of those words, I would be like…
I am so sorry but I am knee deep in sorting out stocking gifts and figuring out if I have fairly covered everyone in my family with purchases…I have egg nog to drink and a couple of more evenings of fellowship (otherwise known as eating lots of good food with dear friends…)
I have half my Christmas cards finished and the 2017 ornaments painted but have yet to start the ones for this year and time is ticking down on the giant holiday clock that I created in my own head and well…
I don’t really have the time or energy to be sanctified at the moment.
Anybody else?
But you see…I never have time to be sanctified or consecrated…even knowing that those words simply mean to be set apart…different…right in the middle of exactly where God has placed me on planet earth doing just the same normal stuff as everyone else…that somehow it will be done differently because of Jesus in me.
And that’s just the point.
I don’t have the time or the resources or the capacity or even the right to sanctify myself or anyone else.
Ever.
Even on my best day.
And that’s why Christmas is so amazing.
Because God sent His Son…the only who could do it.
And…
He did it for me and for us.
He did it all.
He set Himself apart…He was obedient even to His death on the Cross…so that you and I … with our elves on the shelves and our Amazon boxes on the porch.
With our lists and our overflow and our deep voids…all of it…
our stockings hung by the chimney with care…
red and green and glitter everywhere..
these ordinary, every day lives…
are set apart…
sanctified…
consecrated…
By the Way, the Truth and the Life.
Let’s close with the Contemporary English Version wording…
I have given myself completely for their sake, so that they may belong completely to the truth.
I urge you to remember today as we scurry along, that we belong completely to the One who completed it all for us.
In all you do, you are loved and covered by Him who completed it all for you <3
<3