What
Do I Know Of Holy?
I am the LORD, who
makes you holy.
Exodus 31:13
Standing alone on a secluded stretch of
beach, Jen was awed by the vastness of the ocean. She was pondering
her pastor’s recent sermon: “What do you know of holy?”
With the surf pounding her legs, she
was reminded of God asking Job, “Who shut up the sea behind doors
when it burst forth from the womb?”
Job 38:8
Trying to fathom the implication of all
this being spoken into being by a God she didn’t really understand,
Jen was convicted of 'role-playing' her way through life.
She’d always held a secret resentment
against God for being so demanding. She wanted to do as she pleased,
yet retain her right to Salvation.
In this moment, catching a glimpse of
God’s true nature, Jen admitted, “I’ve always wanted You on my
terms; knew all I wanted to know; had You all figured out.
“But You’re a paradox. Because a
God big enough to handle my problems, and small enough for me to
understand, is no god at all.
“You created all this…spoke it into
motion,” she said with reverence. “Why should You care about me?
Or that I live a holy life?” Which prompted, “Why do You
care…and what, exactly, do I know of being holy?”
Tossing another shell out to sea she
had to admit, “Not much.”
With a never-ending love God continued
wooing her, asking for the un-surrendered parts of her life, all the
while surrounding her with examples of His nature.
†
Holy is the sacred and reverent nature
of God that can neither sin, nor abide it. Holiness for the Christian
is sought by the process of sanctification; our lifestyle changes for
the better, small increments at a time.
With our sanctification in mind, and
growth toward holiness in Jesus Christ the goal, God asks to divinely
influence our lives through the power of His Holy Spirit.
Conversely, our human nature resists
complete surrender, attempting to live 'mostly-holy', through the
power of self-control. However, holiness is a lifestyle of complete
surrender, unattainable through self-control because of the very
nature of sin.
Daily surrender must replace
self-control, allowing God access to live…in and through us.
Though we may not understand it, like
Jen, we can begin by submitting ourselves each day to the Holy
Spirit's instruction, understanding that God will teach us all we
need to know about holy.
Prayer
“LORD,
as I surrender to Your guidance today, teach me what is means to be
holy. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”
Adapted from the song: “What Do I
Know Of Holy” by Addison Road
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