“As thou didst send me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be consecrated in truth.”
John 17:18-19 (RSV)
Jesus prays for us that we will consecrate ourselves as He sends us out into the world. Consecration is a term that brings back an image of Samson, who was raised according to Nazarite vows of consecration. The Hebrew word for Nazarite, is nazir, which means to be set apart or consecrated.
Peter refers to all believers in Jesus as a chosen people, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation. That pretty much sounds like a “set apart and consecrated” bunch of people.
(1 Peter 2:9)
There is something to gain by learning about the Nazarite vows of consecration, whether we believe in the literal story of Samson’s strength or not. His story was recorded in scripture to teach us something, and there are features about the Nazarite consecrated lifestyle which are also relevant to contemporary Christianity.
Like Samson, we also stumble in our human weaknesses, but God has abundant mercy, and gives us a lifetime of chances to start over. We may not do battle with Philistine armies like Samson did, but we contend with the spiritual battleground of our mind, every day of our lives. Paul described the Christian life as that of a soldier in a different kind of warfare. Instead of taking human enemies captive, we take thoughts captive, by lining them up in obedience to Christ.
(2 Corinthians 10:5)
We don’t abstain from products of the grapevine, as the Nazarite vows required, but we can discern and abstain from attitudes that Jesus warned are potentially poisonous to the soul, like unforgiveness.
Everyone knows from movies or childhood bible stories that the secret of Samson’s strength was his promise to never cut his hair. Our faith, like Samson’s hair, has been growing throughout our life, during struggles as well as blessings. No one can see hair grow, just as we cannot see faith grow, but our faith, like Samson’s hair, has never stopped growing.
Samson didn’t always keep his vows of consecration perfectly. He was tempted and briefly led astray, but he kept returning to God, by reconsecrating himself, and he finally received the strength to defeat the Philistine enemies. Samson shows us that God can make the weakest person strong, and He does it by His grace.
Christianity is a different kind of consecration than Nazarite vows. We don’t take vows but we are sealed by the Holy Spirit, signified by our baptism. We all have cycles of reconsecrating ourselves to God, throughout a lifetime. We fall, but we rise again, we repent and receive forgiveness.
We are re-strengthened continuously by God’s love and grace. We have the same human vulnerabilities as Samson, but we are not enslaved to them, because Jesus promised that whoever the Son sets free, is free indeed. (John 8:36)
Some days it feels like the Philistines are coming at us from all directions. It’s in those times that perseverance develops, because faith rewires our mind, transforming us from within. God knows exactly what we can and cannot handle and He never allows us to be pressed beyond what we can bear.
(1 Corinthians 10:13)
If we are going through a fire, it’s because God knows we will be able to handle it, and He never leaves us.
Peter tells us that faith is proven the same way gold is proven-by fire, and with each fiery trial, our faith is being purified, in order to bring praise, glory, and honor to Jesus, on the day that we finally meet Him.
(1 Peter 1:6-7)
Jesus prayed for all believers in all generations, to live a life consecrated and set apart for God. While our faith keeps growing, the Holy Spirit is turning us into spiritual Samsons, but we still have one great advantage over Samson;
the resurrection power of Jesus working within us, which tears down every stronghold and lead us to victory.
Lord, through your love and grace, we consecrate ourselves to you. Thank you for your resurrection power which gives us strength in our trials, always standing with us, believing in us and never leaving us. Amen
