La Ley de Consagración

I took my cousin to school this morning, spent all day doing homework, went to the gym, showered, worked for three hours, and just walked in the door at 8:30 p.m.. I sat down to finish the last part of my homework and I groaned about how hungry I was (didn't have time to eat dinner) and settled for a bag of trail mix. 

My husband woke up at 7:30 a.m. to get ready for work and was there from 9:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. when we caught each other at the front porch as I was leaving for work. While I was at work, he went to the gym, finished putting away the laundry that I didn't have time to finish, and ate dinner. Just now, as I was grumbling about being hungry and shoving trail mix into my mouth, he asked me, "Honey, can I make you something to eat??"

I am currently working on a bowl of Raman with a happy heart and a blissful belly. 

Consecration

Spencer offering to serve me, even though he had a day just as long as mine, was a small example of practicing consecration in marriage.  

The Guide to the Scriptures says, "The law of consecration is a divine principle whereby men and women voluntarily dedicate their time, talents, and material wealth to the establishment and building up of God’s kingdom."

This definition explains that consecration is not just about money. It's about ministering unto others, playing the piano for Relief Society, volunteering at a women's shelter, paying tithing, and so much more. When Spencer was willing to take time to make me food, even after a long day, he was dedicating his time to me and our marriage. 

Consecration in Marriage

H. Wallace Goddard (2006) put a little twist on the well known verse in the book of Mosiah when he said, "The natural spouse is an enemy to marriage" (p. 106). 

It's so true! We are easily frustrated, stubborn and prideful. We expect our spouses to somehow be perfect while being content with our own flaws. We scream, "Don't you get it? Can't you just see it my way??" 

So, if the natural man in us is the enemy to our marriage, we need to learn how to overcome it. Goddard talked about how living the Law of Consecration is one of the ways we "putteth of the natural man and becometh a saint thorough the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love" (The Book of Mormon, Mosiah 3:16).

The following are my favorite quotes from Goddard about what consecration in marriage looks like:

Marriage provides glorious opportunities to practice consecration. Just as Isaac was willing to give his life as the ultimate expression of commitment to God, so we are invited to dedicate our lives, our talents, our weekends, and our weaknesses to the sacred enterprise of sanctifying our marriages and ultimately perfecting our souls. (p. 103)

Consecration has everything to do with marriage. It is much more than "staying together for the kids." It is acting to redeem our partners and our covenants with everything we have and everything we may draw from Heaven. We do all of this in order to establish Zion in our homes. (p. 105) 

Rather than carefully tracking every investment in our marriage, we give gladly and wholeheartedly. We give everything we have and are. And we ask God to increase our capacity so we can give yet more. (p. 107) 

A Little

I truly believe that as we live by the Law of Consecration, especially in our marriages, we become a little more like our Heavenly Father and Savior each day. I know that as we turn to our Savior, come unto Him, and learn of him, we can find the strength to put the natural man on the altar and save our marriages. 

References

Consecrate, law of consecration. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (Year, Month Date). https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/gs/consecrate-law-of-         

                     consecration?lang=eng 

Goddard, H. W. (2009). Drawing heaven into your marriage: Eternal doctrines that change relationships. Joymap Publishing.