Today’s Reading, Leviticus 19-21
Focal Scripture: Leviticus 20:26 “You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be mine.”
What type of standard do you have for yourself? Today I was speaking to my son about having a high standard for the goals he wants to accomplish. Whatever that standard is that he wants to reach, he must be willing to put the work in to achieve that goal. It doesn’t matter if it is physically or educationally. To achieve greatness means your work ethic must also be great. The same is true for our spiritual lives.
In today’s reading God tells Moses that he and the people are to be holy because he is holy. He wants the people to be set apart from every other nation. Holiness is an attribute of God and for us to have that same attribute apply to our lives, we have to work at it everyday. Self examination must be a daily practice. Killing sin in our life has to become the norm in our day to day experiences.
This does not mean we can earn or work our way to salvation. It also doesn’t mean that God does not give us the tools to be holy like him (the Holy Spirit). What this does mean, is that as believers we have to be willing to put in the work to be holy. It means that our lives must be one of surrender. It also means that our mindset has to be aggressive in how we approach our spiritual condition. We can’t wait for things to happen when it comes to the pursuit of holiness. We can’t just wake up one day and be on the right path.
The challenge that all believers face today is to make a decision to commit to holiness. This happens in the heart first, then it must travel to our heads. When the combination of head and heart are in tune, great things begin to happen. You see sin the way God does. Excuses are not allowed when pursuing holiness. Devotion to the Lord and his word take the priority. When these align, people will know that you have been in the presence of the Lord.
I hope and pray today that you are in the process of holiness in everything that you do in your life. Every decision, action, conversation matters in your approach of holiness. Our goal is to be like God in holiness. In that pursuit our lives will never be the same.
Tomorrow, I plan on reading Leviticus 22-23
