The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart, he and his descendants forever, to consecrate the most holy things, to offer sacrifices before the LORD, to minister before him and to pronounce blessings in his name forever. I Chronicles 23:13 NIV
To set apart is to select something or someone for a specific purpose. Something is dedicated for a specific purpose or task. It is to be chosen, picked out, selected or taken from a number of alternatives. I hate to admit it but this is what I did with Burt. I selected him out of all the other alternatives at the Humane Society. As he reclined on his bed, filled with his anxiety medication, looking calm and quiet, I walked by and stopped. I told my daughters, I like this one.
There were others I was drawn to but I selected Burt. I set him apart for the specific purpose of being our new dog. He was chosen to be a part of our family. He was selected to come home with us and that is where he remains.
We have been chosen and set apart for a specific purpose by God. He sent his one and only son to die on a cross that we might be children of the living God. We have been selected to be part of his family. We are on our way home to him and that is where we will remain.
Burt has proved himself to be quite a trial. He trashes our home and tests us on a daily basis. He is not the best fit for our family but I pray he is a work in progress.
I am thankful that I too am a work in progress and God does not regret purchasing me with the blood of his precious son. He sees the finished product. He knows the plans he has for me. Plans for good and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). I praise him that he is faithful to complete what he has started in me (Philippians 1:6) and that the power is from God and not from us (2 Corinthians 4:7).
Romans 8:30-39 in the NLT states, “And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one-for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one-for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow-not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below-indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord”.
Relax! God loves you just as your are and always will. He will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). He has set you apart as his own.
Just Another Dog Devotion 