Yes, You Can Ministry

Consume me!

“For each one (Pharaoh’s magician’s) threw down his staff, and they turned into serpent’s. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staff’s.”-Exodus 7:12

Moses and Aaron came before Pharaoh to convince him to let the children of Israel go. This is the beginning of signs that were shown to Pharaoh in order to convince him to let the Israelite slaves go. Aaron threw his staff on the ground, and it became a serpent; but Pharaoh out of his arrogance commanded his people to do the same thing. He wanted to show Moses and Aaron that he had as much power as they did.  This reminds me of the Tower of Babel found in Genesis 11; the people of the day had become so arrogant that they proposed building a tower that could reach into the heavens. In essence they were saying we want to be equal to God; we have this power, so we should not be subordinate to God anymore.

That reminds me a lot of people today; as a generation we do not like considering ourselves subordinate, or inferior, to anyone. We say look at what we can do; we can make a heart out of plastic to keep someone alive, we can clone animals (maybe even people), etc. We have as much power as God; therefore, we refuse to be subordinate. Subordination, or submission, to a higher authority is for sissies.

This is why I am particularly drawn to the last sentence in verse 12. It says that Aaron’s staff, the one that was transformed into a serpent by the power of God, swallowed the other’s up. It was as if God said BOOYA-TAKE THAT. In all of our greatness, and yes the human race can do some great and marvelous things, we cannot come close to the wonders that God has done, and does every single day. It is only when we are swallowed up or consumed by God that we can even begin to reach the potential that He has for us. Some people; however, are frightened by this because they fear that if they allow God to consume them that they will cease to exist. I understand that fear, and so does God; but listen how Jesus responds to that fear “…whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it” (Matthew 16:25), and then He says in John 10:10, “…I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly.” Jesus has promised us that if we lose our life for Him that we will have more life than we could ever get own our own! Only when we are consumed by God can we begin to truly grow into the person that God wants.

When we are totally consumed by God, and let go of ourselves then we receive a new heart from God; a heart that is on fire, and full of zeal for God. David writes in Psalm 119:139, “My zeal has consumed me because my adversaries have forgotten Thy words.” David was passionate about spreading the Word of God because those around him had forgotten about God and were doing whatever they wanted, but David who is called “a man after God’s own heart” had a desire to bring these people back to God. He had been consumed by God, and He was passionate about bringing other’s into this new life that he had found.

When we are consumed by God, then it automatically follows that we will get a fever for God that we want to pass on to others.

Father, I ask that You consume my being, and fill me with Your zeal; so I might share with others through word and action the abundant life that can only be found in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.