Get that weak stuff outta here...

This week we studied God’s Holiness. Before reading this any further, take a moment to read Isaiah 6:1-7 (click the link to read it) and then come back here.

Can you imagine what it would be like to in the presence of the Holy God? Our minds cannot fathom it! And when you do reflect on God’s holiness, how does that make you feel? (If you’re an old dude like me, you might remember Wayne and Garth from SNL’s Wayne’s World…where they said “We’re not worthy”).

When we think about being “Holy” (defined as being set apart…righteous), we often find ourselves feeling overwhelmed. Thoughts like…”I could never measure up to God’s holiness”…which often leads us to “why even bother?” Faced with this overwhelming sense of guilt, we often choose to turn instead to more “happy thoughts” and, quite frankly, rarely like to focus on God’s holiness.

Instead, I’m here today to say we should be humbled in a positive way. Understanding God’s holiness should lead us to a clear understanding, realization, and admittance of our own sinfulness. But it should also provide the blueprint for what we should strive for in our lives. 1 Peter 1:13-16 tells us “…to be Holy as He is Holy”. Does that mean we won’t sin? Does that mean we can be perfect as He is? By no means! But, we can know that, as followers of Christ, we have been set apart…and equipped…to be a light to others...to grow more like Him.

Also, reflecting on God’s holiness can shed some true light on some of the lame excuses we give to God each and every day for not following His will. As an example, if I (5’6” tall, kinda) dribbled a basketball, into the lane, and tried a layup on Shaquille O’Neal…he’d probably say “get that weak stuff outta here”, perhaps even a few different word choices, as he swatted my shot attempt into the seats. I often wonder if God says that about some of the lame excuses we use to convince ourselves its okay to follow our will, instead of His will. I know…you, like me, have just been “too busy” lately for those “God things”. I have made a conscious effort lately to NEVER use that phrase again…who among us is not “too busy” these days? But know this…if something is a priority to us…we find a way…we find the time to get it done. But hey, that’s another blog…for another blog day.

The point is this, go back to that scripture from Isaiah and imagine yourself in the throne room of God and literally telling God some of the things we tell ourselves in our minds when faced with following His will in our lives. Whether it’s going to Church or SS, talking to a friend about salvation, making better choices in our lives…whatever our moment of decision may be. Imagine saying out loud to a HOLY God, those thoughts we often tell ourselves.

Next time you find yourself on the fence about obeying God’s will, reflect on His holiness…and “get that weak stuff outta here”.

Room 127 Insider Tip:

A few weeks back, we talked in class about two types of fish in my daughter’s fish tank…Zebra Danios, that tend to stay at the top of the tank…and Pepper Catfish, that swim in the deeper waters at the bottom. The question I asked you was this…are you willing to swim in the deep waters for God, or do you want to stay at the top where things are safe and comfortable? You may have found yourself faced with various thoughts, and maybe even coming up with some excuses, when considering this question for yourself. I wonder if reflecting on God’s holiness, as we have learned from this study, can help you make your “fish choice”?