Take Time to be Holy

January 4, 2023
Midweek Study with Pastor Edith
Hebrews 12:14-15

How is your new year coming along? For me and my house, we are in the beginning of many changes and through it all we are reminded to turn our eyes upon Jesus and He will guide us step by step. Isn’t that the best way? One faithful step at a time. Funny how that is not the way I often look at change. It seems I often see the task too big in front of me. Today’s scripture text speaks of Holiness and how God requires his people to consistently reach for holiness in day to day faithful living so as to be a beacon of hope for those around us; “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many”.

Right off the bat we read that holiness will take great effort. Looking up the word Holy in my Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary I find it well put; Holy= ”To be set apart for God”. That is what a believer in Jesus Christ is, and that is what a believer in Jesus Christ does. As it turns out in today’s reading, Holiness requires that we do not allow bitter roots of unforgiveness, grudges, and attitudes that do not lead to peacefulness. You may not read those words in today’s text, but the hint is there.

Perhaps you have come up against other emotions or behaviors that you could add to this list. Wherever you are, however your new year has begun, please allow me to encourage you to take it one step at a time. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you and if it’s a very difficult time try to do what my friend and mentor Jim Prickett used to do when he was running a 5K race and grew very weary very quickly, he would say; “Lord, you pick ‘em up and I will put ‘em down.”

Why not schedule some time with the Lord, just you and Him? Make it part of your new year plan and don’t be surprised when more peace comes your way.

A favorite hymn puts it this way; “Take time to be holy; Speak oft with thy Lord, Abide in him always and feed on His Word. Make friends with God’s children; Help those who are weak, forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek”.

HAPPY NEW YOU!