Week Four - Day Five: End of Day

I don’t know about you, but for me, the more I come to understand and appreciate the holiness of God, the more astounded I am by the truth that we ended with this morning. This characteristic of God – His absolute uniqueness, His set apartness – it’s amazing to think that somehow we get invited into this. I am not suggesting that we somehow become divine. Of course that isn’t the case. And yet, the Bible tells us we are “holy” and that we are to live “holy” lives.

If you are in the habit of reading the Bible you may do what I do when I read these kinds of things. I fill in something like “be a really good, moral person” for the call to be holy. But I suspect much, much more is at stake.

Let’s end our day by looking at four of these references.

• Romans 12:1-2 (1) Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. (2) Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
• Ephesians 1:3-4 (3) Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (4) For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
• Hebrews 12:14 Make every effort to live in peace with all people and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
• 1 Peter 1:15-16 (15) But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; (16) for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

It’s almost too much to take in isn’t it? And this is just a sampling.

1. What observation, phrase or verse sticks out to you from the verses you read above? Turn it over in your mind for a minute.
2. Survey your day. Was God stirring in some way that you now need to recognize?
3. End your day by praying: “Guide us waking and guard us sleeping that awake we may watch with Christ and asleep we may rest in peace.”
4. Lights out!