Cleaned & Called
Pursuing holiness in our lives unlocks the ways in which God will heal, help, and give hope to our hearts with His great love.
“Do not make yourselves unclean by means of them or be made unclean by them. I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy...You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between living creatures that may be eaten and those that may not be eaten.”
Leviticus 11:43-44, 46-47
The idea of clean or unclean can be quickly tied to shame. Think about the times in your life where you have felt less than or unworthy. We live in a world of cancel culture and judgment that loves to cast judgment.
Jesus came to teach us a better way. His teachings are an extension of God's original plan. God designed us to live in relationship and be His holy people. The word clean in connection with holiness describes the state of one being purified for a purpose. When connecting to our lives, it describes one who is ready to receive and live out the role that God has prepared for each person in the kingdom.
“I will be careful to lead a blameless life— when will you come to me? I will conduct the affairs of my house with a blameless heart. I will not look with approval on anything that is vile. I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it...My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; the one whose walk is blameless will minister to me.”
Psalms 101:1-4, 6
David invites us to compare and contrast being careful about how we live compared with common culture. God uses the words faithful and faithless. God does not use perfect or imperfect. He knows that we all fall short of the glory of God. None of us are perfect. However, He does call us to be devoted and diligent in how we live and love.
God looks at our hearts. He says that faithful people, those whose hearts are committed to relationship with Him, will carefully listen to His voice. Think of any important relationship in your life. Is it not the same? Imagine what kind of relationship you would have if you did not care about what the other person said. God uses the context of relationship to encourage us to live in a way that will honor the relationship we have with Him. Is there anywhere in your life where you have been careless instead of careful about following Jesus leading of God's teaching?
“How beautiful you are and how pleasing, my love, with your delights!"
Song of Songs 7:6, 10
The world would change if people could see themselves as God sees them and if each of us could see God as He is. Consider listening to the voice of God in your life. Ask Him how He sees you and what words He uses to describe you. Are there any words that you are using to describe yourself that are not from God?
“Then I set bowls full of wine and some cups before the Rekabites and said to them, “Drink some wine.” But they replied, “We do not drink wine, because our forefather Jehonadab son of Rekab gave us this command: ‘Neither you nor your descendants must ever drink wine...This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go and tell the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, ‘Will you not learn a lesson and obey my words?’ declares the Lord. Again and again I sent all my servants the prophets to you. They said, “Each of you must turn from your wicked ways and reform your actions; do not follow other gods to serve them. Then you will live in the land I have given to you and your ancestors.”
Jeremiah 35:5-7, 12-13, 15-16, 18-19
The theme of listening and obeying is prevalent throughout scripture. How often in our world do we listen, but not do? Do ever find yourself saying I tried, I intended, I thought? God wants our actions to speak louder than our words. God applauds the Rekabites for being disciplined and careful about how they live.
How easily do you give in to the opinions of others?
“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them...We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: “You are my son; today I have become your father."
Acts 13:2-3, 22-23, 32-33, 38-39, 52
There is an old expression, like Father, Like Son. It can refer to the ways in which you see children act or live in the same ways their parents do. In our world, that can be both a good and a bad thing. The downside can be the curse of addictions or trauma that get passed down. Hurt people hurt people. In Genesis, it was written that we were made in the image of God. Our divine design is to be like our Heavenly Father in mind, body, and spirit.
Jesus modeled life, led by the Spirit, doing the will of God. He listened and obeyed the rituals of the Scriptures in the sinless life He lived. He was not willing to allow anything to keep Him from living out God's purposes for His life. Through His sacrifice He made us clean like Himself. He set us free from the consequence of our sin, but did not set aside the wisdom of living a disciplined life. His grace does not set aside the great wisdom of living intentionally and embracing the value of living carefully according to God's commands.
Like Barnabas and Saul, you have been set apart for a purpose. You have a role to play in your true identity as child of God. We do not pick and choose where we want to follow Jesus and where we do not. Our call is to fully surrender, embrace how we are cleansed by Him, living carefully according to God's commands as we understand who we are. God does not see sinner, He sees Son or Daughter. Where could pursuing more disciplined clean living unlock greater power in living out your calling? Where could less of you result in more of Jesus? The invitation is to grow in holiness so that you receive all that your Heavenly Father has for you today.