Seeking Holiness

"So set yourselves apart to be holy, for I am the Lord your God. Keep all my decrees by putting them into practice, for I am the Lord who makes you holy." Leviticus 20:7-8 NLT

Holiness is both something we cultivate and something we receive. God commands us to cultivate holiness in our lives with the call to "set yourselves apart to be holy, for I, the LORD, am your God." We cultivate holiness in our life by obeying God's commands both to shun unholy things and to embrace holy things. Cultivating holiness is as much about what we embrace as is it is about what we shun. If our whole plan for holiness is avoiding sin we will go spiritually mad and become legalistic. The joy of holiness is in embracing relationship with God and embracing the good things He has created for our enjoyment which draw us nearer Him.

But holiness is not something we can merely cultivate by our own effort. God says, "I am the LORD, who makes you holy." We must first of all receive holiness as God's gracious gift and mighty work in our life through His Holy Spirit. Pray for God to create in You the holiness you cannot hope to attain apart from Him. Then work in concert with His Spirit to cultivate an ever growing holiness in Your life.

Father, as You are holy I desire to be Holy. Grant to me holiness as Your gift through the working of Your Holy Spirit in my life. Teach me to daily cultivate holiness by embracing those things which draw me nearer to You.

I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark