Three Words that Honor God
At the dedication of the wall in Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication.... Then the priests and Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, the gates, and the wall. They also consecrated holy things for the Levites, and the Levites consecrated them for the children of Aaron.
— Nehemiah 12:27, 30, 47
We have here in Nehemiah chapter 12 three words of great importance to us. The first word is "dedication," in verse 27. The second is "purified," in verse 30. The third, "consecrated," is in verse 47.
What do all the above words mean to us in our Christian lives? If these words meant a lot for the remnant of God's people in Nehemiah's day, how much more should they mean to us today!
The word dedication means, in a practical way, to give onself to something or someone. Romans 12:1 presents a clear meaning of dedication:
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.