THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
Leviticus 11:1–12:8
Mark 5:21–43
Psalm 38:1–22
Proverbs 10:8,9
“I am the Lord who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.” (Leviticus 11:45)
Prior to heaven, we may never fathom the profound depth of God’s holiness. Originally created in His likeness, He provided us with the capacity for holiness but also endowed us with free will. In this passage in Leviticus – and clearly throughout the crystal-clear strictures for worship and daily living – we recognize that God takes our duty and responsibility to remain holy eminently seriously.
In Psalm 4:3, David writes: “Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself;/ the Lord will hear when I call to him.” This concept of being “set apart,” of consecration, endows us with the purpose of bringing praise, worship, and honor to the living God. Despite our sinful natures, the Lord Jesus Christ has provided a pathway to the Throne of grace. We may have confidence in approaching Him in His sanctuary: “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:19–25)
Thus, beyond the great value of following His good, proper instructions for us, we serve others, as we strive for holiness: “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” (Hebrews 12:14,15) Righteous living involves turning an open ear to God’s Word, but also bringing emotional healing through peacemaking.
Through Leviticus, God reveals His heart for setting apart the nation of Israel as His very own. Their faithfulness to Him would highlight God’s greatness, drawing other peoples to bow in worship. God promised tremendous blessings to His children, but Israel will frequently eschew God’s path for their own, leading to frequent heartache and frustration. Similarly, God has “called out” the church universal from those who have stepped into the redemption of the risen Lord Jesus Christ through trusting Him and receiving Him as Lord and Savior. Even with the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ, however, we read that holiness still matters for the Christ-follower. In the Beatitudes, Jesus explains that “blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” (Matthew 5:8) Whether now or in heavenly places, we should all desire to see God in all His splendor. From our reading about Moses, it appears that His glory would truly be overwhelming and unfathomable to our human senses.
Despite our attempts to live righteously, “... all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Our attitude in acknowledging this reality drives our next action: in our desperation, will we run towards or away from our Creator? As with those seeking healing in Mark 5, we must both trust in His power and desire His intervention, two elements for a warm and vibrant faith.
If we are honest with ourselves, we will each have moments where we echo David’s plea in Psalm 38:15,17,18,21,22:
“I wait for you, O Lord;
you will answer, O Lord my God.
“For I am about to fall,
and my pain is ever with me.
I confess my iniquity;
I am troubled by my sin.
“O Lord, do not forsake me;
be not far from me, O my God.
Come quickly to help me,
O Lord my Savior.”
In short, we will face trials and challenges of many kinds, each individual to us. Our success stems not from the avoidance of these trials and tribulations, but rather in our reactions to them. Will we continue to exalt the living God and to seek after Him? As you face struggles, I encourage you to embrace your Father and to pour out your heart honestly. In the end, His presence will prove your ballast and strength through the storm. (I must constantly remind myself of these truths!)
John 15:5–8 explains: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
QUESTIONS
1. How may you pursue greater personal holiness?
2. How have you reacted recently when you ought to have called out to God?
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