Monday, May 13, 2024  

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Today's Hymn
“Take My Life”

Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee;
take my moments and my days;
let them flow in ceaseless praise;
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,
swift and beautiful for thee.

by Frances Ridley Havergal
Hymn 697, Glory to God
verse 1–2

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Reflection

You should know that I am in the consecration business. My colleagues in Resource Development and I see ourselves as the consecration ministry of Fourth Church. To consecrate is to make holy, sanctify, set things apart for the purposes of God. And that’s what we do. We invite, encourage, and facilitate your generosity and make it holy. We take your gifts of cash and coin and (with God’s help) transform it into ministry. We gather pledges and promises and turn them over to God, who in turn does wonderful and marvelous things. We join with you and together we consecrate and dedicate one of the most important resources we have: our money.

But I’ll let you in on the secret: it’s not actually about the money. Here’s what this consecration business is about: it’s about discipleship. It’s about the heart behind the gift, not the size of the gift. It’s about the hope behind the gift, not how much of the budget it meets. It’s about sending our hearts to where we want God to be, because Jesus says one follows the other. It’s about trusting that if we gave all that we could, God would delight.

My ministry is not actually about the money. It’s about standing up, learning into the future, and believing a new heaven and earth are possible. It’s about becoming disciples of Jesus Christ and not just members of the church. It’s about consecrating — turning over — our entire lives to the service of God and God’s realm.

OK, so sure, money is part of it, but that’s nothing without the heart and hope behind it.

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Prayer
God of pledges and promises, coins and cash, time and talent, you are Lord of all. Send your spirit down and consecrate my heart that I may be ceaseless in my praise of you. Amen.

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Written by Shawn Fiedler, Major Gift Officer

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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