Holy as God is Holy

If you don't know, the church that I pastor has taken on the challenge of reading through the Bible in 90 days...now, as for me, I have been listening to it...I have done some reading along with that, I am trying to break it up some to keep myself (my flesh) from getting distracted...I purchased the entire Bile in MP3 format and have it on my poor man's iPod...I decide to go with the translation The Message...what I like about this translation is, it is more in a story form...once again trying to keep myself (my flesh) from getting demotivated...well, at the beginning of every book they have an introduction to the book...this past week we read through the book of Leviticus...probably known to most people as good night time reading...that is if you are having a hard time falling asleep...sacrifices, blood, mold, discharges, wave offerings, many somewhat detailed and meticulous  instructions...to tell you the truth I have not payed much attention to it...until now...I want to share with you the introduction to Leviticus:

The human race has some pretty stubborn habits and one of them is we try to domesticate God. We are determined to tame Him, we figure out ways to harness God to our projects.  We try to reduce God to a size that conveniently fits our plans, our ambitions and our tastes.

But the scriptures are even more stubborn in telling us we can't.  God cannot be fit into our plans, we must fit into His.  We cannot use God, He is not a tool or an appliance or a credit card.  Holy is the Word that sets God apart and above our attempts to enlist Him in our wish filled fantasies or our schemes for making our mark in the world.

Holy means that God is alive on His terms.  Alive in a way that exceeds anything that we could ever conceive or imagine.  Holy refers to the life that is burning with an intense purity that transforms everything that it touches, into itself.  Because the core of all living is God and God is a Holy God.

We require much teaching and long training for living in response to God as He is and not as we want Him to be.  Leviticus is a narrative pause in the story of our ancestors as they are on their way saved from Egypt to settle in the land of Canaan.  An extended time out of instruction, a detailed and meticulous preparation for living Holy.  Living in a culture that didn't have a clue what Holy was.   The moment these people will be entering Canaan they will be picking through a lethal mine field of gods and goddesses that are designed to appeal to our god fantasies.  Give us what we want, when we want it, on our own terms.  The only thing is these god fantasies will only cripple or destroy them.

Leviticus is the start of much teaching and much training that continues to be adapted and reworked in every country and culture where God is forming a saved people to live as he created them to live.  Holy as God is Holy.

The first thing that strikes us as we read Leviticus in this light is that God is actually present with them in every detail of their lives and every aspect of their lives is affected by the presence of this Holy God.  Nothing in us or our relationships or our environment is left out.

The second thing is that God provides a way of sacrifices and feasts and sabbaths to bring everything there is about us into His Holy presence therefore being transformed in the fiery blaze of the Holy.  It is an awesome thing to come into His presence, and we like ancient Israel stand in His Holy presence today.  (Psalm 139)

Once we realize this, the seemingly endless details and instructions of Leviticus now become endless signposts of the good news to us.  God cares so much for us, He is in the very details of our lives.

Today, please place your everyday everything before this Holy God.  Embrace what God has done for you it is the best thing you could do for Him.  Fix your attention on Him.

I hope you took the time to read this and may it bless and encourage and challenge you as much as it did me.

Stay focused and keep reading, and may you see God in all this.