Set Aside

written by Rachelle

When I first heard that the theme this time was set apart, I tried to define in my mind what being set apart means.

What image do the words set apart conjure in your mind?

Honestly, the first picture that popped into my head looked something like this:

Away... Separate... Different... Set Aside...

In a way, that's exactly what set apart means. As daughters of the King, we are holy, unique, and devoted to Him. Our lives are surrendered to His purposes. Our hearts are consecrated to be vessels of His love.

But that view of set apartness is also wrong if that's the only view of set apart we have.

Because that's not all it means.

When I first heard the song below, I slapped my hand on the steering wheel. "That's it!"

To those I call My own
To those I've set aside

As spotless without blame
The chosen ones, My bride

We will be Your voice calling
We will be Your hands healing
We will be Your feet walking into a broken world
We will be Your chain-breaker
We will be Your peacemaker
We will be Your hope and joy
We will be Your love

That's what being set apart, set aside, means. Belonging to Him and serving Him. Knowing we are fully His and fully loved so that we can go to our neighbor across the street or across the world and show them that they can be fully His and fully loved, too.

Being set apart doesn't mean being completely apart.

It does mean being different enough that the whole world will know Who we serve.

It means being His voice calling, His hands healing, His feet walking.

Isn't that chorus powerful? Let the words chain-breaker, peacemaker, hope, joy, and love rush through your heart. They are synonyms of set apart.

We are set apart to serve.