“Consecration is the price for His presence and purpose, to live for Him, to dedicate your all to Him and for others is the smoke that should rise from the altar in this season”
In observance of the life of Elisha, he had never been heard of until the Lord instructs Elijah to anoint Him as his successor. In 1 Kings 19:19-21, as the cloak of Elijah was cast upon him, one might assume a transference might have already taken place. It was not so, Elisha had to make the conscious decision of going after Elijah in order to lay hold of that foretaste of anointing that was cast upon him.
However beloved, Elisha’s response by the first contact of the anointing would have costed him a great loss. In the same verses under discussion, Elisha sought to first bid farewell to his household and then follow Elijah. This reminds us of Mathew 8: 21, 22 where Jesus affirms the cost of following Him is by great sacrifice. Beloved, consecration is not solely the aspect of holy living, but also goes hand in hand with sacrifice. Upon, Elijah’s response to leave Elisha behind (1 Kings 19:20), he luckily swiftly stood corrected and went on to pay the price of sacrifice.
The first sacrifice of Elisha, was to first give himself and then his all. In the chapter of discussion, he found himself plowing a yoke of oxen, the bible confirms he sacrificed them, boiled their flesh and gave to the people to eat. Remember beloved, that altars are raised by sacrifice. David in 2 Samuel 24: 18-25, to avert the plague that was upon the people built an altar and paid the price of sacrifice. What is much baffling about this, was the statement he made in verse 24,” I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing”. David implied hereby a weight of sacrifice that costs your all, your all mind you, is not referred to in mere substance but in worth. Elisha by His sacrifice laid down everything that was his worth, even his very life for God and for others. The weight of sacrifice is not just given and dedicated to God but also to men. Yes, men will have the benefit of your being laid down at the altar. What is being required of your life will also be poured out to many connected to your calling. Just as Jesus spoke concerning the cost of following Him in Mathew 8: 21-22 and Luke 9: 62, also attesting to how He laid down his life.
Beloved, consecration takes holiness dedicated to the life of God but also sacrifice dedicated to His course and for others. Your sacrifice is also a seed that will bear much fruit in the life of others. It’s no surprise that in this season, I have heard preachers whom I revere, speak about consecration. This is a season God is requiring our all, the assignment is great and requires much labour and sacrifice. What has your response been to paying the price of consecration by sacrifice? Are you reluctant in response or distracted? Are you placing other things above it? To live for Him, and to dedicate all to Him and for others is the smoke that should rise from the altar in this season.