"Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” James 4;13-15 NLT
As part of my recent 50th birthday celebrations my wife Judy designed a creative visual display entitled; ‘Five decades of life.’ She obtained five large blank canvas frames and on each one she attached a variety of photos and statements that highlighted some key personal memories from each of the decades I have been alive.
The display came up really well and proved an interesting talking point at my birthday party - it even generated a few laughs!
After the party one of our children, Tim, said something interesting – I’ve been thinking about it ever since. Tim said; “If someone had a canvas for each decade of their life, I wonder if they’d be willing to leave the next canvas blank before God, not knowing what would happen?”
Quite profound, don’t you think?
Tim’s question brings to mind the theme of consecration.
From a biblical perspective, when used in the Old Testament, to consecrate a specific person or item meant to devote, separate, set apart or make that person or item holy (ie for God and His purposes). In the New Testamant, consecrate means to make perfect, to make new.
I am incredibly challenged by M.H. Miller’s brilliant definition of consecration;
“Consecration is handing God a blank sheet to fill in with your name signed at the bottom.”
That’s a lot like giving God a blank canvas; allowing Him to cover it with whatever He so chooses…
In reality, none of us knows what’s ahead. With spiritual hindsight, I can certainly testify to the very tangible evidence of God having been working in my life; across the years; across the decades.
As a person of faith, and based on my own experience of God to date, I am certain that He is still working – he hasn’t finished with me just yet. My life is in His hands. He is faithful. He has a plan. He knows what’s ahead. He can be trusted.
As I begin to contemplate the next decade of my life I guess the main question for me at the moment is; “Will I continue to trust Him?” Am I prepared to ‘sign off’ on the blank canvas that is my life moving forward, allowing God to fill it in as He so chooses, when He so chooses..?
Today I reflected and prayed about this using the words of Frances Havergal’s wonderful old hymn, Take my life and let it be.
Perhaps this will be your prayer as well…
Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days;
let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands, and let them move
at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.
Take my voice, and let me sing always, only, for my King.
Take my lips, and let them be
filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect, and use
every power as Thou shalt choose.
Take my will, and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord, I pour
at Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.
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