God's Call to Holiness

How many times a day do we think about what we want to do? Well, I'd have to say pretty much 24/7. I mean, when don't we think about what we want to do? If we don't think about ourselves, chances are we're trying to please someone else, and usually that someone else isn't God. But amazingly enough, God calls us to think about and pursue what He has commanded above EVERYTHING else. And just what has God commanded and demanded of us? Holiness.

Wow - so basically, when I'm thinking about everything I need to do for this reason and that, and when I'm rationalizing my actions because I think my own desires are more important than God's commands, God says, "What?! You think you know better than the Creator of the Universe? You think that anything you could think of would be better than doing exactly what I have told you? How much you have to learn!" (Actually, God wouldn't be surprised, because that man-centered attitude is typical of me and everyone else who calls himself human.)

Of course I have much to learn! So I must continue to press on toward the goal - not towards life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but towards God's perfect standard of holiness. Though I know I will never reach it in this lifetime, I am still expected to move towards it with all my strength, which I have only through Christ Jesus. May Christ strengthen each of you who seek to move towards holiness, further from the old man, and closer to the new.