Day 69 - Called to Holiness
Ruby Washington
“For I am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt, to be your God; so you shall be holy, because I am holy.” - Leviticus 11:45 NASB
“But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written: “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” - 1 Peter 1:15-16 NASB
God has called you to holiness. God is holy. God is perfectly moral. This means that God can never do wrong. He never wonders what the right decision or the next step is. He isn’t confused about your purpose on this earth. This is what makes Him reliable. This is why we run to Him instead of worrying. God is holy, and it is a reason to rejoice! The God we serve is unblemished, unstained, and blameless in all He is, and in all He does.
“There is no one holy like the Lord, indeed, there is no one besides You, nor is there any rock like our God.” - 1 Samuel 2:2 NASB
As people, we are stained and wonder about making right or wrong decisions. We make mistakes. So, how can we be holy? Holiness regarding God’s character refers to God’s blameless morality. As it relates to you and me, holiness means that we live a life separate from the world. That does not mean we don’t interact with or evangelize to unbelievers. Living holy means that we don’t live like unbelievers. This world is full of hopelessness, lack of love, and lack of patience.
On the other hand, we have hope because we know that Christ will return to set all things right. We have love because God first loved us. We are patient because God has been so patient with us. We live a life that is contrary to societal norms. However, we don’t just live our lives looking to do the opposite of the majority. We strive to live like Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. God has given us commandments. Our love for and trust in Him causes us to stand on His Word. Lack of trust leads us to believe the world’s ways are better than God’s ways. Therefore, this means we are doers of the Word.
Things will go well for us when we obey God in relationship with Him. This doesn’t mean that we won’t have trials. Remember, these trials build character (James 1). Jesus says, “These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Despite our struggles, things will go well for us. This is what the Apostle Paul means in Romans 8:28 when he says, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” A life of holiness is a life of peace amid storms. It is a life entirely dependent on God.
If you are uncertain about what’s next in your life, remember - When you don’t know what to do, do what you know to do.
You have been called to worship God.
You have been called to love God and His people.
You have been called to discipleship.
You have been called to commune with God.
You have been called to holiness.
Put these things into practice, and you will never be led astray.
Next Steps
Think about it: In the past, has holiness been something you’ve embraced or something you shied away from? Why?
Action Step: Create your own set of realistic next steps based on the devotions from this week. These steps could include setting a daily time to worship, finding ways to be discipled, adding accountability to help you pursue holiness, etc.