“I thank him that enabled me . . . appointing me to his service.” 1 Timothy "1":12
Formerly, only those of the house of Aaron were appointed to the service of God. Anyone else who dared to intrude was immediately cut off from Israel. Today also, only people of one family may be consecrated to His service; but thank God, if we believe in Christ, we belong to that family.<br/><br/>One thing is "clear": men do not choose to consecrate themselves to God; it is God who chooses them to be set apart to Him. Those who consider themselves as doing God a favor by forsaking all to serve Him know little of true consecration. We are chosen for the honor of serving "God": that is what consecration means. Since we are chosen, it is a sense of glorious privilege rather than any awareness of making a sacrifice that fills us.