Holiness

God is Holy, which means set apart, lifted above, pure. In fact God is the Holy or Holies. THE most Holy. WOW!

‘One of the stubbornly enduring habits of the human race is to insist on domesticating 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 and ambitions and tastes.’ Eugene Peterson.

But the Bible says God is Holy (see the first paragraph!), so why do we drag Him down? We can't do it, He won't let us.

'Holy refers to life burning with an intense purity that transforms everything it touches into itself.’ Nicky Gumbel.

I think why we try, by which I mean we don't necessarily do intentionally, but without thinking, is because as humans we have human brains. We just cannot fathom the absolute wonder of God, He is just too out of this world, and Holy. There is no other word. He is just too amazing, it blows our brains. We get glimpses of course, which I love, I think anyone does. Have you ever done that? It tends to happen when I'm praising God in song, or am out and about walking/cycling and see something amazing of nature. And it just hits you, BAM! W-OW! SOOOO AWESOME!

I always did like the phrase 'in the beauty of Holiness' which comes from Psalm 27 (which I actually didn't know, but first heard it in Paul Oakley's song Be lifted up)

Psalm 27:
One thing I ask from the LORD,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the LORD

And Paul Oakley's song:
Be lifted up, be lifted up
As we bow down,
Be lifted up.
Let the heavens rejoice
Let the nations be glad
Let the whole earth tremble
For you are God
Come and worship the Lord
In the beauty of holiness

The focus of our life should be worship, the one thing (Ps 27). We find the beauty of the Lord in worshipping Him, and this lifts us from distraction, fear, anything that binds us that should not.

'We are to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is our true and proper worship’ (Rom 12:1–2).
The characteristics of Holiness:
Humility - do not try to get on over anyone else
Love - Love EVERYONE
Tolerance - to people even though they are different
Discipline - But be intolerant to sin
Peace - Do not argue
Faithfulness - Do not compromise God

=S Kind of difficult, eh? But I pray with the beauty of God's Holiness, that we may with even a tiny bit of glimpsing His Holiness we can become more like Jesus everyday.