Called to Live a Holy Life
2 Timothy 1:9
As I get older, I’m finding that I want to play less. I mean the silly stuff. I don’t have time for much of the shenanigans spiraling around out there. Specifically, I find myself wanting to slow down and think about stuff. I’m getting tired of things being crammed down my throat. People have changed the meaning of words throughout history. It’s clear that when the King James Bible was written people spoke differently. Shakespeare would be hard pressed to hold an intelligent conversation today. I’m sure that as things change it’s normal for some of the meanings of words to change and new ones to be created. What I’m talking about is folks doing stupid; making up words or twisting old meanings to fit a narrative because you’re looking to steer the culture in your own direction.
The enemy does his share of this. Take the word Holy. When I accepted Christ, I remember having a word picture of Angels in white togas strumming harps while sitting in the clouds. People who aspired to be Holy, in my book, were holier-than-thou. The words obedience and submission also find themselves in this category. Maybe you’ve felt this too. I bring this up because my opinion of these words has changed.
When I think of Holiness now, I’m beginning to feel like it might be a good thing; something to be aspired to. I started wondering where I got my original understanding. I used to think that anything involving conformity, or the color white, was lame and should be avoided at all costs, but that came from a very wounded place. A place filled with abandonment and fear. A place were I had to take care of myself because no one else could be trusted to, but I’m learning that that Holy God is the same God who saved me from destruction and pulled me out of fires I didn’t know existed. He’s the one who’s never left me and provided for my every need.
This is the same God who deems Holiness with something to be attained. God created Holiness. He ordained it to be a good thing, but somehow, between my adversary and culture I’ve been taught that it means to be weak, vulnerable and cowardly. It meant I wouldn’t be able to take care of myself. They may abuse me, but they won’t get away with it 😊.
All this conjecture is leading somewhere, I promise. When I first read 2 Timothy 1:9 this morning I was kind of disappointed. I was hoping for a weightier verse. Something about power and authority, but instead I read about Holiness ☹. Out of obedience, I asked what He wanted me to see here. He highlighted the amazing safety to be found in Him. He showed me that in striving for Holiness I’m not looking to be holier-than-thou or better than anyone else, I’m getting closer to Him. I‘m finding more of His peace in the spaces I create that push out the noise of culture and welcome His presence. Holiness does set me apart from those who don’t want it. It does provide me with benefits they can’t have, and while this might look like I’m better than them, I’m not. it certainly does make me better off than they are. It’s not like the same options aren’t available to them, they’ve just chosen not to take advantage of them. I have that choice too. I can always choose to believe the lies I’ve been told about the definition of Holiness.
Today, in Christ, let me remember that I have been given a great gift. One that I did not earn and cannot repay, but it’s one with great rewards and great advantages, it doesn’t make me better than others, just better off. As the daughter of the Most High God I have been given the choice to strive for Holiness rather than to continue to sit in messes of my own making. Today, let me choose to continually surrender to His will. It’s the only way to achieve the Holiness and Shalom I crave (nothing missing nothing broken).