So the other day I went looking for THE scripture about “Be Holy for I AM holy”.  To my complete surprise it there, in the Bible, 38 different times in both the old and new testament.  WOW!  If god tells you something 38 times, maybe we should listen to it!

Herein lies the rub.  A lot of people who become new Christians always assume that the be Holy is to be perfect.  I grew up in that household, the one who strove for perfectionism day in and day out.  Frankly there was just no measuring up.  I know this to be true first hand; A dear aunt of mine once told my daughter, Lucy, that she “tried” to be a Christian once, but that it was too hard for her.

I wonder how many people in our lives, even in our churches are chased away by Christianity being too hard.  Sanctification being something completely out of reach… that’s another one that gets mixed up or intercommunicated in some churches.  But god says, “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:30.  That means if we give it ALL to Jesus, He takes the load, He takes the burden, we just have to stay in step with Him.  And I totally believe that God wouldn’t set us up to fail.  On the contrary, he wants us to succeed just like you want your own children to succeed.

 

So what does “Be Holy” really mean?  To be set apart for God.  Set apart?  What does that mean?  1. To place oneself oneself in position to start running a race.2. to keep or save something for a particular purpose 3.   to be a quality that makes someone or something better than or different than other people or things.

WOW, to be of a different quality or a better quality.  Again, that seems like a huge responsibility.  But if we renew our minds (Romans 12:2), and we take up our cross DAILY (Luke 9:23) we should stay in step with the One who was meant to develop us into what He created us to be.  It’s not our responsibility to be Holy, it’s His molding and shaping us for His good pleasure and for the job we were created to do.

And that process He uses to get us right where we need to be is called Sanctification. That’s another confusing term.  For instance, I grew up in a home that thought that to be sanctified was a second act of grace.  And once you were sanctified you were perfect.  There’s that word again.  And I know other people believe that sanctification happens at the same time you receive Jesus into your heart.  But actually it is a process by which the Holy Spirit molds and shapes us into what God created us to be, so that we can accomplish what He meant for us to do.

So now, check this out… the definition of “sanctify” is:  1. To be set apart to a sacred purpose or religious use 2. to impute sacredness and respect 3. to give official acceptance or approval to someone or something and 4. to make productive in holiness.

So there you have it, folks.  Our job is to renew our minds and to take up our cross daily.  For when we are filled with Him, He has the reins and will lead and guide and teach us.

How about you?  Do you make a conscious effort to find time – no to make sure that you read your Bible, that you pray and listen to God’s voice on a daily basis?  If not, make today the day you purpose it in your heart.

Bride LindaKay  XOXO