Scripture: Leviticus 20.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Leviticus 20:6-8 (NLT)

6 “I will also turn against those who commit spiritual prostitution by putting their trust in mediums or in those who consult the spirits of the dead. I will cut them off from the community.

7
So set yourselves apart to be holy, for I am the Lord your God.

8 Keep all my decrees by putting them into practice, for I am the Lord who makes you holy.

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

Although God had proven Himself to the Israelites for a number of years while on their journey to the Promised Land, in this passage He is still coaching them to live a life pleasing to Him. In fact He is helping them rid the land of folk that have turned against Him, and who have caused a stench in His nostrils, so He is working with the Israelites to insure that they don’t become just like them. I am convinced that everything is placed in God’s Word with a purpose in mind. I am also convinced that just because we live in what some may consider a ‘Christian’ nation, God has reason to be very angry with us because of our disobedience to His commands and disregard for His leadership. In fact, He may even accuse us of ‘spiritual prostitution’, as He did in verse 6, because we cater to other gods rather than our Father, God. My favorite part of this passage is where God commands that we set ourselves apart to be holy, for He is holy, and if we are His and committed to following Him, then we are to be holy. ‘Holy’ people will make a ‘holy’ nation. We will then be looked upon as a ‘holy’ nation! In the meantime, I believe that God has as much work to do with us, as He did with the Israelites. Verse 8 tells us how we are to be a ‘holy’ people – we are to get back to the basics and keep God’s commands, decrees, commandments, laws. These things were not established to restrict us, but to help us identify with the Creator of this universe. In other words, He meant for us to live under certain rules and guidelines so that we might represent Him well and do the Father’s will. He provided the rule book and guide book to help us do just that. Let’s turn our eyes away from the television long enough to see and hear what’s in the Book so that we may follow the commands of our Savior, be more like Him, represent Him well before a lost world, and be the ‘holy’ people that He chose us to be. This is a deliberate act by us, so let’s go ahead and make the move by setting ourselves apart from this world, and seek God’s face as we journey towards a life of holiness, even as our God is holy.

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father, we may look at ourselves and wonder if we could ever be considered ‘holy’, especially by a Savior who epitomized the meaning of holiness to us. But because You have demanded this of us here in Your Word, I have no reason to doubt that You can direct me and lead me to a life of holiness. In other words, a life that exemplifies You in every way. Father, please teach me Your ways. Teach me, and lead me in a life of holiness. Not that I may impress anyone here on this earth, but that I may follow Your will for my life, and allow my life to be pleasing to You. I believe that most people have heard of You and probably long to see someone like You here on this earth. You have demanded that we be holy, even as You are. May others see this holiness in me each day, all for Your glory, and to draw them to the cross where they too may know true divine holiness.