March 21 – HOLINESS

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY." 1 Peter 1:14-16  

Holiness – purity beyond measure. Sacred. Without blemish. There are several verses in Leviticus where God instructs His people to be holy, because He is holy. Only those who are pure will be able to approach His throne one day. He wants His chosen people, Israel, to be a pure nation. That call for purity extends to the Christians today. Just as in the verses above Peter directed the Christians in New Testament times, we read that same theme in Leviticus 11:44-45…For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth. For I am the LORD who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be holy, for I am holy. What does it mean to be holy? Can we be “holy” on our own, or only if we seek God’s cleansing power? 

As it says in Proverbs 20:9…Who can say, "I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin"? David prayed, after his affair with Bathsheba…Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. ... Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:2, 10. We have to seek God’s forgiveness, repent from our sin, and He will take our sins away. We can’t “wash” our sin away ourselves, but with a repentant heart, God will make us fresh and clean again. Give Him a chance to create in you a clean heart…to be consecrated and holy. 

Training Tip – Talk with your family about how sin makes a person’s heart dirty. Dip a cloth, like a white handkerchief, into red food coloring, or maybe just some mud. Then wash the handkerchief. Explain that God wants to wash our hearts clean just like that. We just have to ask Him to specifically forgive us for our sin, the mistakes we’ve made. 

Another option would be to use a stained shirt or other piece of clothing, one that you know the stain will come out. Then use a stain washing stick and say that just like that washing stick, Jesus will wash away our sins. Then wash the shirt or clothing, either by hand or in the washing machine. Hurrah—the stain is gone. The “sin” is washed away. 

Lord – Give us the desire for clean hearts. Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. Please don’t cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. (Psalm 51:10-11)

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.