Daily Encouragement: Holy Roller

Sometimes we look at the laws that God has laid out in the Bible and see them as being oppressive and picky and too difficult to follow--maybe even as we might have seen the rules our parents required us to follow as children. As I grow older, have children of my own, and study God's word more, I see these laws more in the light of God's desire to protect us.

The nineteenth chapter of Leviticus is full of laws regarding our relationships, so we will break it down and focus on a little at a time. First, with our relationship with God....

"The Lord also said to Moses, 'Say this to the entire community of Israel: You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy." (Leviticus 19:1-2)

The first thing that God says here to His people is "be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy." How exactly is this possible? I sure don't feel like I'm holy like God is holy.

For the Israelites, it was actually only possible if they kept all the laws perfectly, and because this really wasn't possible, God sent Jesus and then the Holy Spirit to dwell in believers. So, as followers of Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit within us, and we are made holy, so we are "no longer subject to the law." (Romans 6:14)

"But now we have been released from the law, for we died with Christ, and we are no longer captive to its power. Now we can really serve God, not in the old way by obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way, by the Spirit." (Romans 7:6)

This, of course, does not mean that we throw out the law altogether. No, God actually holds us to an even higher standard where even lustful thoughts are considered adultery. (Matthew 5:27)

I 1 Peter 1 we see this command again to "be holy":

"So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the special blessings that will come to you at the return of Jesus Christ. Obey God because you are his children. Don't slip back into your old ways of doing evil; you didn't know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God--who chose you to be his children--is holy. For he himself has said, 'You must be holy because I am holy.'" (1 Peter 1:13-16)

Walking in the Spirit enables you to do all of this....you truly can be holy even as He is holy by His power and His grace.

Today, even if you don't feel holy, I want to encourage you to accept this truth and even speak it out that you ARE holy because you have the Holy Spirit within you as a follower of Christ and your job is to let your actions reflect the truth.

by Wendie Beddingfield

picture by Nat Arnett