h-o-l-y

Wednesday, May 11, 2011 (6:56 a.m.)

Blessed Lord,

You gave me words with which to express myself yesterday. Words that were honest, open, loving and yielded. Lined up altogether their first letters spell out h-o-l-y. Would You talk with me this morning about what it is to be considered holy?

(7:33 a.m.)

Here I still am, practically mesmerized by Your immediate response to my request. 1Peter 1:14-16, “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’”

And just when I was ready to relate to You how wonderfully it all turned out yesterday, I continued reading this section of Scripture. This section that has a different subheading in each version I’m reading. “A Call to Healthy Living” (TLB), “A Future in God” (TM), “Our Holy Calling” (Bible Handbook), “Called to Be Holy” (ESV) and simply “Be Holy” (NIV).

Lord God, I sit here contemplating our experience yesterday. I was honest and open with a friend. I gave enough details of our current situation and requested prayer for the conversation I knew needed to take place. It was during that particular prayer the words honest, open and loving were used. Lord, thank You for letting me truly hear the importance of them.

Thank You for enabling me to stand firmly on You and Your Word throughout the discussion that subsequently took place. Thank You that when a voice went from being calm to sounding upset, I recognized it right as it happened. Thank You that the words, ‘Be angry, but do not sin in your anger’ (Ephesians4:26) came right to my mind and out of my mouth.

Lord, this was You. All the way around. From start to finish. This was You. Thank You Lord. Thank You for loving us. Teaching us. Training us. Pruning us. Growing us. Through Your Word. In Your image.

Thank You for not only saying to us, “I am holy; you be holy” but for providing the instruction manual of Your Word to help guide us into holiness. In The Message, the verses immediately preceding this call describe our need to roll up our sleeves, put our minds in gear and be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when You arrive. We’re not to lazily slip back into old patterns. We are to be Your obedient children, letting ourselves “be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness.”

That’s exactly what happened here yesterday. And just so I don’t get too content in the happenings, the very next verses remind me that just because You help when we call out for it, because You’re a good Father that way, You are also a responsible Father and won’t let us get by with sloppy living. We must travel this life journey with a deep consciousness of You. It cost You plenty to get me out of “that dead-end, empty-headed life” I grew up in.

And just when I think I’m done, there’s the “But wait! There’s more…” that is always so exciting in Your Word. Verse 22 tells us, “Now that you’ve cleaned up your lives by following the truth, love one another as if your life depended on it.” Because it does, doesn’t it!

Lord, I can’t thank You, nor praise You enough for all You have done and are doing in and through us. But I can very honestly-openly-lovingly-yieldingly say that I love You and I am so very grateful for all You have done and are doing in our lives. Thank You Lord. Keep guiding and directing all of our hearts, souls, minds and strength to loving You as You have so rightfully commanded (Mark 12:30) that we will in turn come to love our neighbor as ourself” (v. 31).

You are good. You are holy. And I am to be holy as well. Make it so Dearest Lord. Make it so. I love You. I thank You. Amen.

(690 words ~ 8:58 a.m.)