Today as I was reading a book by Andrew Murray, he began to talk about the creation and the way that God's holiness was so intertwined with it. As I read, I was reminded of the time of Jubilee from the Old Testament. This was designed to be a time that people of God were to follow His example and to rest, every seventh day, and every seventh year. The people of Israel never did this. Not once did they trust God enough to rest from their work for an entire year. Sure, they rested for the Sabbath, but really how hard is it to do something for one day? If we really look at what it meant to rest for an entire year, we can begin to see the overwhelming nature of what it would mean to truly rest.
Well, as I was reading Murray's book, "Holy in Christ: Thoughts on the Calling of God's Children to be Holy as He is Holy", this one line hit me; "Where God rests in complacency and love, He makes holy." Wow, what an amazing thought. That maybe sometimes when we think that God isn't doing anything that we can see the results of right away at our fingertips, it's because He is using that time to work on us, to mold us, to shape us into the people He has created us to be. Not only then do we need to see the value in being patient and listening to God, but are we not also then called to the same? In an earlier chapter in his book, Murray mentions the verse over and over again, "be holy as I am holy". This has got me thinking. So much of the time people refuse to rest, to take time to search scripture and other theological writings for truth, and to merely absorb God. How much more rested, both physically and spiritually, do you think we would be if we truly took time and set it apart for just God?
I think we would be blown away by the results. If we truly believe that God sanctifies us and makes us holy throughout our walk of faith, then why don't we ever just take the time to just be with Him and to soak in the glorious majesties that He so desires for us? Sure, some people would say that this is what they do by attending church services. To that, I say hogwash. It is the same excuse that the nation of Israel used in the Old Testament. "We don't want to take hold of all of you blessings Lord, we would rather work and toil for something else." This is the same thing that those people who claim merely going to church services is their way of setting apart time to be made holy as He is holy.
I don't think that there a set time that God calls every one of us to set apart. But if the only time that we are setting apart is one or two services a week, what a horrible way to seek after the Lord. We need to daily seek His face and I also think that we periodically need to step away from the busyness of life and to drink deeply from the fountain that God will indeed meet us with. Maybe it's a long weekend once a month, a week every couple of months, or maybe even a whole month once a year. Whatever it is that you feel God calling you to, do it. Do not put it off.
If someone were to say to you, "here, I am freely giving you one million dollars." Would you not drop everything that you are doing to accept that million dollars? It is the same with Christ, He is calling to His children. Beckoning to them, saying, "Come child, drink from My cup which runneth over with new mercies and grace." Why are we so afraid of letting God take hold of our hearts and minds, even for the smallest period of time? I think that it has to do with our enjoyment of sin and it's pleasures. We are afraid that by being alone with God, just like Adam and Eve were after they sinned, that He will somehow then condemn us. Children of our Lord and Savior, wake up!! He already knows everything that you have ever said, thought, or will do! Why do you think that you know better than your Savior? Run to Him for comfort and peace. Run to Him for sanctification and new mercies. Run to Him for refreshing, everlasting joy that will never cease!
Those of you who believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior, take joy in knowing that you are God's chosen child. Beloved from before the foundation of the world. Run to Him for rest, peace, and the warmth comfort that only a Father's embrace could bestow.
