Take time to be holy
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. –John 15:5 (NIV)
We were talking last week about the difference between being declared holy by the Father because of our faith in the Son and the process of becoming holy, allowing the Spirit to transform us into the image of the Son. It seemed good to take some time here to discuss how we pursue holiness.
If you’ve been around very many Christ-followers, you’ve probably heard them speak of “spiritual disciplines” or “holy habits”. People much smarter than me have written volumes on the topic, so I won’t delve deeply here. Simply put, the spiritual disciplines are practices that help make us available for the Spirit to do His work in us.
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. –John 15:15 (NIV)
There are many lists attempting to name the disciplines. They vary, but generally include things like bible study, prayer, solitude, fasting, sabbath, confession, service, celebration, and gratitude. Developing these activities as habits can be daunting at first, but you’ll notice some overlap in their execution, as many tend to flow naturally into one another. Plus, we literally have a lifetime to practice them.
NOTE: Completing the actions doesn’t equate to holiness. The disciplines are not a checklist or a formula. We’re building a relationship. When I was courting my wife, I didn’t present her with a list of the things I had done for her and demand to be loved. No, I spent time with her. I studied her. I wanted to look nice and smell nice. I learned the things she liked and enjoyed. It brought me joy to do things that made her smile. I didn’t have to get it all right every time – she appreciated the fact that I cared enough to make the effort. Forty years later, that’s still the case. Pursuing holiness is more like that.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last… –John 15:16a (NIV)
Rarely, an individual who has not made a demonstrable practice of seeking God somehow rises to the occasion in the moment when faith and wisdom and spiritual fortitude is most needed. You might make that argument for some of the Old Testament judges. God is sovereign. He can certainly show up unexpectedly and save the day through the most unlikely of characters.
However, I would count those as exceptions. More often, the heroes of faith that come to mind are people who were intentional in their pursuit of relationship with God. Their moments of triumph were the culmination of confidence in a relationship that had been forged over time. Think of Moses, David, Daniel, and so many others. Imperfect men, but with heavy commitments to worship, speaking with God, listening for His voice, enjoying His presence, desiring to go deeper.
Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ –John 15:20a (NIV)
Even Jesus, who of all people, you wouldn’t think of as needing constant contact with the Father (He was God, after all!), was well known for sneaking off before sunrise to spend time in prayer and meditation. If He had that need, you think maybe we do too?
To close, consider this quote from a book I’m reading about how the spiritual disciplines work and why they are vital in the life of a Christian:
“The world can no longer be left to mere diplomats, politicians, and business leaders. They have done the best they could, no doubt. But this is an age for spiritual heroes– a time for men and women to be heroic in their faith and in spiritual character and power. The greatest danger to the Christian church today is that of pitching its message too low.”
― Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives