We are a work in progress, daily striving for God’s holiness
Soon, I will experience a birthday, a jubilee of years, in fact, and my handsome husband enjoys reminding me of this coming day with a countdown. He knows the number of days remaining until my birthday, and he enjoys reminding me for two reasons: He is a numbers’ guy & His 60th birthday comes forty-five days AFTER my birthday. Sixty years. How did I ever reach this place? While I do not dread the turning of six decades, I do wonder: HOW DID I EVER REACH THIS NUMBER? Just a moment ago, I was ten and playing cowboys and Indians and cops and robbers with my little brother, wearing a toy gun strapped on my hip and racing through the barnyard. Then, when I left playing childhood games, I took up the playing of sports, and just yesterday, I was racing home from work, only to change clothes and race over to the softball field. It was twenty-nine years ago when I gave up “playing softball,” when I learned we were pregnant with our daughter.
Time is a funny thing and a NOT so funny event. Sixty is our grandparents’ age, not ours. Most recently, I have experienced a few more aches, some new pains, and AGE spots. These small brown spots just miraculously began to appear, and it makes me wonder: Were they always hiding underneath and just decide now to appear?
For years, I have worn my hair short, and of late, it is apparent that the GREY hairs are more plentiful than ever before, causing me to wonder: How long, LORD, until my entire head is covered in a “new-to-me” natural hair color?
While age (and life) happens to us while we seem to making other plans, there are certain events we should live for every day the LORD wakes us and gifts us with another day of life. You see, believers in Christ Jesus—Christians—are a work in progress, daily striving for God’s holiness.
The prophet Isaiah spoke of this truth through a vision given to him by the LORD.
“In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.
(The Book of Isaiah 6: 1-7 NASB)
Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings:
with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
And one called out to another and said,
“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts,
The whole earth is full of His glory.”
And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.
Then I said,
[Isaiah did & repentant humanity does too]
“Woe is me, for I am ruined!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I live among a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”
Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand,
which he had taken from the altar with tongs.
He touched my mouth with it and said,
“Behold, this has touched your lips;
and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.”
THIS IMAGE PERSONIFIES GOD’S SALVATION!
You see, God is not “the man upstairs” or “our co-pilot” or any other label humanity wishes to call Him.
HE IS AN AWESOME GOD!
HIS HOLINESS DEFINES HIM!
HE IS GLORIFIED MAJESTIC!
HE IS HOLY GOD!
History cannot change God, evil will not overcome the LORD, and the future will not intimidate Him.
The world collectively asks: How holy is God?
The Holy God who created the world and everything in it is the same God who sent His only Son to dwell among us, who died a death that paid the ultimate price for our sin.
JESUS DIED FOR SINNERS LIKE US!
DARKNES AND EVILNESS AND OUR SINFULNESS HAS NO FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD’S PURITY!
CHRIST JESUS DIED TO RESCUE US FROM OUR HORRIBLE DISOBEDIENCE TO HOLY GOD!
When the Holy Spirit convicted us of our sin and revealed Jesus’ work on the cross and in the grave, and once we repented of our sins—THEN GOD MADE US ALIVE WITH JESUS, TRANSFORMING US.
Therefore, we have no excuse for our sin, for nothing can prevent the Lord from one day presenting His church, faultless, before Holy God. Nothing is hidden from God’s sight; everything is laid bare before His eyes. More than anything, God saved ones need to remember that we are a “work in progress,” sinful creatures who are continually saved by the LORD’S mercy and grace, and we NEVER wear out God by coming to Him, in seeking His help and forgiveness.
JESUS ARMS ARE ALWAYS OPEN!
GOD IS ALWAYS LISTENING!
THE VEIL OF THE TEMPLE WAS TORN IN TWO PIECES, GIVING US OPEN ACCESS INTO GOD’S PRESENCE! THEREFORE—MAY WE NEVER STOP PRAYING, CALLING ON GOD’S MERCY & GRACE!
Believers are God’s children, part of His family, invited to His righteousness, part of a living HOPE and sure salvation—
“Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
(The First Letter of Peter 1: 13-16 NASB)
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written,
“YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.”
Despite the age we have become, we must make sure Jesus has changed us internally, spiritually.
No matter how many birthdays we have accumulated, we must obey the laws of the land that do not go against God’s Word,
for we represent Christ in Every Place, Every Day.
Our task once we have believed on Jesus and received God’s gift of salvation (whatever our age) is to
MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS.
SO LET US ASK GOD TO REVEAL OUR SINS, & SEEK HIS FORGIVENESS, & BE DEVOTED TO KING JESUS!