Rest and Reset: A 30-Day Devotional to Revive JoySample

Be Holy

Holiness is the sacredness of life. It is not limited to spiritual discipline alone. Still, it extends to activities like working out, maintaining a healthy diet, working faithfully for your employer, and, as to the Lord, loving your enemies, being kind to strangers, getting a good night’s rest, being on time for appointments, and learning new skills. All these can be acts that are holy to the Lord. Of course, the sanctity of these activities must be carried out in a Christ-honoring, blemish-free, godly manner. But to separate what we do from who we are is what causes division in the mind, ultimately alienating us from the God who has demonstrated through His triune nature what we are called to emulate.

In Isaiah chapter 6, during the year King Uzziah died, Scripture records that Isaiah saw the Lord sitting on a high and lifted-up throne, and His train filled the temple. Isaiah also noticed the seraphim and heard their cry, which was 'And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.' This declaration speaks to the nature of holiness. It transcends the heavens and the earth and highlights God’s glory in creation, birds, nature, and Osmos, but also in us. There is a reckoning in one’s spirit when someone comes to know the Lord as their Savior that removes the blinders from our eyes, so that our soul cries for the holiness of God to fill us. Again, it’s not just in the spiritual practices of prayer and worship, but holiness becomes who we are. We are unified in Christ and His sufferings, although we often shy away from the latter.

When Isaiah saw the Lord, he saw himself. He was not holy; his words were not pure, so he prayed, "Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips." At the time of your conversion, the Lord will reveal the idolatry you often chose over him. For Isaiah, it was his language, I am sure, among other things. For you, it may be slothfulness, lying, gossip, fornication, addiction, or some other sinful practice that keeps you captive. Now that you have seen Christ, you don’t have to live in that old, sinful nature.

Perhaps you're no longer struggling with past sins, or your focus has shifted to maintaining a holy path that aligns with Scripture. You may also have a desire to know God more deeply and understand His sufferings; this, too, is a sacred pursuit.

Holiness is both a command and our duty. Peter said, 'but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." 1 Peter 1:15-16 KJV We must be holy because God is holy. This means living a consecrated life unto Him. I’ve heard individuals say, "I am consecrating for a season." But shouldn’t consecration be a part of our lives as children of God? When we separate what we do from who we are, we can lose a sense of our identity in Christ.

There are times and seasons for fasting and prayer that require a deeper level of isolation and preparedness. But holiness ought to be exercised in everything that we do, for all of it unto Christ. Creation operates in harmony with God’s intended purpose, so shall we.

Be Encouraged.