A CONSECRATED REPUTATION
BY CARRIE F. JUDD
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in
Christ Jesus: Who… made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of
a servant…and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.: -Phil.
ii:5-8.
When we have, as we
think, made a full surrender of ourselves to God, and have avouched Him to be
the Lord and Master of our entire being, our consecration will surely be tested
by the all-searching light of God’s truth. And when our loving Father gently
lays His hand upon this or that treasure of our hearts which we had though was
fully surrendered to Him, we are often surprised and bewildered to find that we
are still clinging to it, unwilling to give up to God what we have told Him is
His own.
But these revelations,
though they are necessarily painful and deeply humbling, should not make us at
all discouraged, for they are a part of the purging process by which our Divine
Husbandman makes us capable of bearing more fruit to His glory. Our Saviour
said, “Every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth
more fruit. –(St. John xv:2.)
Our God is the God of
truth, and He cannot allow us to be deceived in regard to the gift which we lay
upon His Altar. If we are sincere in our desire to withhold no part of the
required offering, He will surely reveal to us if our consecration is imperfect
in His sight, and such evidence of our dear Redeemer’s love and faithfulness
should make us pour out our souls in thanksgiving.
Little by little, as we
are able to bear it, He shows us wherein our old nature has not met its final
death-blow, and by these merciful revelations enables us to cling more closely
to the cross, and to rejoice in the slow crucifixion which makes us dead to
self and alive unto God.
In no one point,
perhaps, are we more easily deceived, and more keenly obligated to suffer, than
in our giving up into God’s care that most dearly valued human treasure-our
reputation. This fits us so closely, and is cherished with such unconscious
care that when our consecration in regard to it is tested we feel that some
vital part of our being has been assailed.
Human nature is ever
striving to make itself a praiseworthy name, and bases its ideas of safety and
happiness upon its success in so doing. However far we look back in the history
of sinful man, we see this same propensity displayed. In Gen. xi:4, we hear the
inhabitants of the earth saying one to another, “Go to, let us build us a city
and a tower whose top may reach unto heaven, and let us make us a name lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the
whole earth.” They were trying to make for themselves a name instead of
trusting the Lord to make one for them, and, as a sure result, their attempt
was an utter failure. In verse 9th we perceive the only name which
their tower of boasted strength received, and that was “Babel,” or “Confusion,”
and then we notice that the very event against which they were trying to
fortify themselves, came upon them, for we read; “And from thence did the Lord
scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.”
But how different is the
result if we leave off all attempts at making for ourselves a praiseworthy
reputation, and seek only to exalt the name of our God. If we are of Christ’s
household and bear His name we shall indeed be called upon to endure the
reproaches of the world, but we may look beyond these and see God’s mind
towards us manifested in these wonderful words “Even unto them will I give Mine
house and within My wall a place and name better than of sons and of daughters.
I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.” –(Isa. lvi:5)
We cannot think that our
loving Shepherd, Who “calleth His own sheep by name,” would fail to notice the
smallest reproach cast upon His little ones; but He has assured us beforehand
that if we belong to His household we shall endure His reproach, and His
promise of blessing to those who suffer thus for His sake should indeed make us
willing to say with Paul, “I take pleasure in reproaches.” Our Saviour’s word
to us is, “Blessed are ye when men shall hate you and when they shall separate
you form their company and shall reproach
you and cast out your name as evil for the Son of Man’s sake. Rejoice ye in
that day and leap for joy: for behold your reward is great in Heaven.” –(St.
Luke vi:22, and i:22,23)
And again, how many of
us can understand the depths of the apostle’s meaning when he says, “If ye be
reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye, for the Spirit of glory and of
God resteth upon you?”-(I Peter iv:14.)
In striking contrast
with the world’s estimation of
Christ’s faithful followers is the exalted place which they hold in Jehovah’s
thoughts, through the name of His blessed Son. We read in Deut. xxvi:18, 19,
“And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be His peculiar people… to make
thee high above all the nations which He hath made, in praise and in name and in honor, and that thou mayest be an holy
people unto the Lord thy God, as thou hast spoken.”
And again, “The Gentiles
shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory, and thou shalt be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord
shall name.”-(Isa. lxii:2.) Our old
name can never be exalted, and therefore the Lord gives us a “new name” in
which to walk, even the name of Christ Jesus.
If self is our god and
occupies our thoughts we shall be continually seeking self-honor and
self-reputation, and this can only result in confusion and utter ruin; but if
we seek to glorify God in all our lives we shall receive the honor which cometh
from above. “For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our
God for ever and ever.”-(Michah iv:5.)
And in Jer. xxxiii:16,
we are told the wonderful and blessed name wherein is our peace and happiness. “In
those days shall Judah be saved and Jerusalem shall dwell safely, and this is the name wherewith she shall be
called, “The Lord our Righteousness.”
Now there is one
especial point, in the consecration of our reputation, which needs the most
prayerful thought. Touching our lives far more closely than any opinions of the
outside world, are the reproaches and misinterpretations which we are sometimes
called upon to endure from those whose daily lives run very near our own. The
discipline in most causes must be long and severe before we are willing to see
that we have no right to indulge in
morbid feelings of grief or sensitiveness over such misunderstandings, for if
we are wholly obedient to the death of the cross, no part of our mortal nature
may linger to brood over its own wounds. We must resolutely turn away from
beholding any suffering of our dying nature, lest subtle self-pity should keep
us from consenting to its death.
The apostle bids us to
let the same mind be in us which was in Christ Jesus, Who made Himself of no
reputation and was obedient unto the death of the cross, and it is only by
following His path of Humiliation and crucifixion that we are prepared to be
with Him “highly exalted,” and to bear upon us His Name of names.
“And they shall see His
face: and His name shall be in their foreheads… and they shall reign for ever
and ever.”-(Rev. xxii:4,5.)
***
We need faith to sleep
sweetly. Worry is the parent of restlessness; but he that believeth enters into
rest. “The just shall live by faith;” they work, wait, toil, rest, eat and
sleep well when they believe firmly. Pillow the soul on the assurance that the
Lord cares for us, and works all things for our good, and the pillowed head
rests in comfort.
***
CONSECRATION AND FAITH PLEDGE
CONSECRATION PLEDGE.
Dear Lord; I present myself unreservedly to Thee.
My time.
My talents.
My tongue.
My will.
My property.
My reputation.
My entire being.
To be, and to do, anything that Thou requires of me.
PLEDGE OF FAITH.
Now as I have given myself away, I am no longer my own, but all the Lord’s.
I believe Thou dost accept the offering I bring.
I trust Thee to work in me all the good pleasure of Thy will.
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and I will receive you.”
As I do give myself to Thee, I believe Thou dost receive me now.
