Holiness – Before the Holy One (365/163)
- 7 hours ago
- 2 min read
Have you ever stood before something so magnificent that it left you speechless? A towering mountain, a starlit sky, or the crashing waves of the sea can make us feel very small.
Isaiah 6 records the prophet's vision of the Lord, high and exalted on His throne, while the seraphim proclaimed, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts” (v 1–3). Confronted with God's perfect holiness, Isaiah cried, “Woe is me, for I am undone!” (v. 5), recognizing the immense gulf between God's purity and his own sinfulness. A seraph took a live coal from the altar, touched Isaiah's lips, and declared, “your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.”(v 6–7). God cleansed Isaiah before He commissioned him. Only then was Isaiah able to respond to God's call with wholehearted surrender: “Here am I! Send me” (v 8).
Nadab and Abihu on the other hand, approached God's presence on their own terms, offering unauthorized fire before Him. Their presumption dishonored God's holiness and brought immediate judgment and death (Leviticus 10:1–3).
Holiness is not merely avoiding sin; it is approaching God with awe, humility, and surrendered hearts. As New Testament believers, we can draw near to God through Christ, our Holy High Priest,“holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners” (Hebrews 7:26).
Pause and Ponder
When was the last time I was deeply aware of God's holiness?
Are there areas where I approach God casually or on my own terms instead of His?
How is God calling me to live as someone set apart for Him today?
The God who is infinitely holy is also the God who graciously cleanses and sends.
Holy God, cleanse me through Christ, and teach me to walk in reverent obedience and wholehearted devotion to You. Amen.
Extended Reading: Isaiah 6, Leviticus 10:1-7