“You shall be holy, for I am holy.” ~ I Peter 1:16
Holy is one of those words that gets tossed around as though it is common, attached to mundane words as an adjective to make a phrase prettier. Holy cow, for example. There is nothing religious intended by this expression, yet in certain circles both words represent something sacred. But for some Christians, the word holy carries a multi-dimensional meaning which, by definition, can’t be fully explained. How ironic. I love words like that.
Language tries so hard to explain what only hearts can tell.
Holy appears in the Bible right from the start in Genesis, where God finishes creating everything and calls the seventh day holy. Some translations say hallowed, which you might remember from the Lord’s prayer: Hallowed be Thy name. It was a special day of rest, set apart for honoring the Presence and the blessings of life.
Maybe the most important use of the word is when we use it to describe God. Songs say it best. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty. When the ancient Hebrews called God holy, they were stating God’s otherness. God is other than us, other than everything, unique and present in a powerful way.
The holiness of God is more than an attribute of God, like kindness, compassion, and faithfulness. Holiness is the essence of God that generates all that goodness.
And here we are, created in the image of that which is holy. We are invited to participate, in that otherness that is beyond the mundane. We are called to rise above the crass fears and vindictive responses that stunt our divine growth and keep us small.
Your heart is designed to be God’s holy place. You are made to be a reflection of love, the pure kind, the other kind that breathed us all into existence in the first place.
Sheer joy. That must be why we are here. God created because God loved, and we are the expression of that love. We are called to be holy (I Peter 1:16), an expression of the pure love and otherness of God in this world.
The world sure needs it right now, something other than the predictable tragedy. There is something other than hatred, violence, revenge, and despair. There IS love. Carry hope with your words, your smile, your actions, and the energy you pour into the world with your life every day.
These days, this time, these tears shall pass, but that which is holy cannot be shaken.
I hope your heart sings today.
I love you,
Pastor Kim