HOLY

While we were on vacation in Oceanside, California, we went to church at Calvary Chapel Living Hope. During announcements, it was mentioned that most of the men were still at their annual men’s retreat. The guy making the announcement said that the topic had been “God is more concerned with our holiness than our happiness.” I like that statement.

Twenty times in the book of Leviticus, God tells us to be holy…

‘For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. Leviticus 11:44a (NASB)

Guess how many times God tells us to “be happy.” Instead, He tells us…

Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 2 Timothy 3:12 (NASB)

What does it mean to “be holy”?

The Hebrew word is qâdôsh, which means sacred, holy, Holy One, saint, set apart. It is from the root qâdash, meaning to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate.
Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions, Electronic Edition STEP Files Copyright © 1999, Parsons Technology, Inc.

We are to set aside for the purposes of God. We are to separate ourselves from the desires and ways of the world. We belong to the Lord for He created us and purchased us from the power of sin with the blood of Jesus Christ.

Does that mean that God doesn’t want us to be happy? No, but it does mean, “God is more concerned with our holiness than our happiness.” The New Testament writer, Peter, echoes the thought in Leviticus…

But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. ¹⁶For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15 - 16 (NLT)

SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD