A Word We Can Count On—Holy

GodReflection: A Word We Can Count On—Holy.

It is rather audacious to use a word that is beyond definition as A Word We Can Count On to power our lives. Such is the word Holy. It is beyond definition because it describes God.

In Old Testament Scripture to get too close to Holy God or to disrespect Him meant death. In 99.9% of the time that death was instantaneous.

Book after book, page after page and verse after verse in our Holy Bible describe Holy. Holiness is only a breath away because God is Holy and fills the earth.

The New Testament letters tell the story after Jesus’s death and resurrection. It presents a new application of our word Holy. Because of the power of the cleansing blood of Jesus Holy begins to describe God’s people. That means Holy is now used as a synonym for your name and for mine.

Called by God to be Holy, we are to live without stain or blemish. Wow! That’s a scary challenge. Only the blood of Jesus makes it possible. So, The Holy Spirit makes it possible as we add compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience to our daily walk.

To help us pay attention to The Holy Spirit, we need a daily billboard written with striking capital letters to alert us a new that God calls us to a Holy life. Paul reminds the young man Timothy; He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace (2 Timothy 1:9).

The Apostle Peter sets the bar high for God’s call:

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:15-16).

The Letter to the Hebrew Christians reminds me to Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).

There is never a time when it is harder to be Holy than today; no matter when our today might be. For us 21 Century Christians that comes with our televisions, internet, movies, and a thousand other things we can add to our “tough to be Holy,“ list.

The truth is no time since Eden has Satan lack for weapons against the Holy. He did quite well with unholy attacks prior to the Industrial Revolution and the Information Age.

We fight Satan and unholy living by living in the sphere of God’s Holiness. Days are Holy because they are from God. Our possessions are Holy because they come from God. Our relationships are Holy because each one is with a person made in the image of God.

It doesn’t matter if that relationship is a first-time encounter with a store clerk or if it is with a member of our family. Therefore, we must handle those relationships in Holy awe because each one is a gift from Holy God.

Dear God, it is far too easy to live day after day oblivious to the covers of holines that lays over our surroundings. Holy is A Word We Can Count On to remind us of your “here and now” presence. The Psalmist got it right. “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast” (Psalms 139: 7-9).