Faithful and Holy

Leviticus 22-31-33 -  "You must faithfully keep all my commands by obeying them, for I am the LORD.  Do not treat my holy name as common and ordinary. I must be treated as holy by the people of Israel. It is I, the LORD, who makes you holy.  It was I who rescued you from Egypt, that I might be your very own God. I am the LORD."

 

So many rules God gave Moses…rules that teach us that Jehovah is special….the God of Jacob was to be revered…set apart as holy. God wanted his priests to be holy too…and recognize when they had defiled themselves with things that were ordinary. He wanted his priests to recognize that they were unclean and wash themselves…and bathe …and purify their bodies before they came into his presence….to offer the sacrifices that would erase the sins of the people that came to offer sacrifices to God.

 

Just as God rescued these captives from Egypt…he wants to free us from the load of our sins as well. He wants us to recognize that we have defiled our relationship with him and seek ways to purify our whole self….so we can be restored in our relationship to him.  He wants to be our very own God…a God that will be for us everything we need…exactly when we need it.

 

His very presence should evoke a passion in our hearts to be faithful to every rule he gave Moses…so that he can make us holy. But even as I write those words…God knows my heart is saying I could never be truly holy…for the stains of my many sins…and the mistakes I make every day…and the rules I struggle every day just to understand …let alone to keep…tell me that I will never be perfect like the savior who died on the cross for me.

 

But that is the beauty of why he died for me. His sacrifice on the cross makes a way for any person who is defiled by their sins to be washed clean in his saving grace.  Once I accept his great gift and begin to study and pray for his guidance….once I begin to seek his will and notice the things that are wrong in my life…his love can come and wash all that sin right out of my heart.  God can even take the stains of the past…and use their testimony to speak his message to others.

 

Oh father…the words of my living bible ring sweetly in my ears this morning as I prepare to go and worship you this beautiful Sunday morning with all my friends.  You are telling me …..do not treat me as common and ordinary…revere me…for I am holy. Help me father to truly understand just how holy you are.  Help me to prepare my heart to truly revere you and praise you…and worship you for the gift of grace you gave me.  Help me to let go of the past by letting you wash me clean of all the things that defile me…and hold me back from knowing the fullness of your love.  Oh God help me to see your holiness clothed about my imperfect existence….so I too can resemble and model your love to others.Amen.