Lord of covenant,
You made a way for Your people
to set themselves apart,
to vow themselves wholly unto You.
Men and women alike could say,
“For a season, for a purpose,
I belong to God alone.”
No razor, no wine, no compromise
a life marked by holy devotion.
O God,
make me Yours in such a way.
Not only in public,
but in secret.
Not only for a season,
but for a lifetime.
Set me apart,
not by outward sign alone,
but by the inward devotion of my heart.
Strip away the comforts I cling to.
Cut off the distractions that dull my longing.
Make my life a living vow
consecrated, surrendered, available.
Lord, You warned the Nazirite
to avoid even the shadow of death,
to remain undefiled.
Teach me, too, to keep away
from what poisons my spirit,
from what dims my witness,
from what pulls me from Your side.
Let my separation not be arrogance,
but adoration
a refusal to be entangled,
because I want to be entirely Yours.
And yet, even the Nazirite vow had an end.
It was completed with sacrifice.
So too, my devotion is incomplete without Christ.
He is my offering,
my covering,
my consecration.
Without Him,
my vows crumble into pride,
my zeal burns out to ash.
But in Him,
my devotion finds its rest.
In Him,
my set apart life finds its meaning.
Then, Lord, You spoke the words of blessing,
words You long to place
like a seal upon Your people
“The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up His countenance upon you
and give you peace.”
O God, let this blessing rest on me.
Keep me when I wander.
Shine on me when I sit in shadow.
Be gracious when I fail.
Lift me when I am bowed down.
And grant me peace
not the fragile peace of this world,
but the deep, unshakable wholeness
that comes from You alone.
Lord, put Your name upon me.
Write it on my forehead,
etch it on my soul.
Let all who see my life know:
I belong to the Living God.
And may my devotion,
my blessing,
my peace,
all point back to Jesus,
the One who fulfilled every vow
and became the blessing of all nations.
Amen.