Holy Cow!

“I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God;

therefore be holy, because I am holy.”

Leviticus 11:45

 

 

Have you ever met a holy cow?

How about a holy moley?

Do you even know what that is?

We use phrases all the time without a clear understanding of their origin or their meaning.

The ‘we’ I speak of includes those of us in the church.

The word ‘holy’ has been misinterpreted, redefined and dragged through the mud over the years from those outside and inside the church.

Without a proper understanding of what a word means we are at risk of abusing the word and mis-applying the principles in our lives that the word represents.   

I think if there were such a thing as a “Top Ten List of Misunderstood Words from Scripture”, holiness would be on that list.

We could define holiness as being set-apart for God.

We could define holiness as being ‘peculiar’ or being in the world but not of the world.

Let me offer you a simple definition we have learned.

Holiness is living a life that pleases God.

So often we attempt to reduce it to a set of rules and regulations which may or may not have much to do with what truly pleases God.

As you and I mature in Christ; the pull, the attraction of the world should diminish in our lives.

His will for us should become more desirable to us.

We surrender more of ourselves to Him that we might live that life that pleases Him.

I have never met a holy cow and I admit I don’t know what a holy moley is.

What I have met is holy men and women whose desire it is to please God.

Not perfect men and women.

Not always fully mature men and women.

But men and women who desire it is to be holy as He is holy!

Are you part of that company?