Skip to main content

Pursuing Holiness




"A true love of God must begin with a delight in his holiness, and not with a delight in any other attribute; for no other attribute is truly lovely without this.” Jonathan Edwards

Remember when Jesus was out at sea with his disciples and a big storm came? They woke Him up and asked for His help. He awoke and calmed that horrendous storm. I want to focus on their reaction. Scripture tells us that after Jesus spoke to the raging waters, all became still again. But His disciples were terrified. Why is that? Because they were in the presence of the very holy One and isn’t it true that when we are in that presence we see ourselves for what we really are: afraid, sinful and doubting.

I’ve been reflecting on God’s holiness ever since I watched the 700 Club earlier in the week. A distraught mother called in and asked Pat Robertson what more she can do besides all her praying and fasting to hasten the return of her prodigal son. I felt that his reply was for me as well: “Instead of focusing on your son’s sins, focus on God’s holiness. Ask for God’s forgiveness for this son’s attitudes and offenses against such a holy God.”

I realize that we can’t repent for another person. However, our intercession takes on a whole new dimension when we take the approach of coming into the presence of a Holy God instead of dwelling on all the sinful rebellion we are seeing and continually telling God about it.
I am called to be holy. Peter says so in 1 Peter 1:15-16. “But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’ So how do I do this? By separating myself from the things of this world and dedicating myself to God.

I will never stop interceding for my prodigal and knowing I will become holy in the process is a win-win situation.

Spiritual Sundays is hosted by Charlotte and Ginger at http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com

Comments

  1. Sherry @ Lamp Unto My FeetApril 30, 2011 at 12:39 PM

    So true! How much we want those that have fallen away to come back to Him, but we can't make them. We just need to keep being faithful in prayer and in our own serving God.

    ReplyDelete
  2. no spring chickenApril 30, 2011 at 2:51 PM

    I will place your prodigal on my prayer list too! That was a beautiful post... We all have people we are crying out to the Lord for and I love the redirection of our prayer away from the sin and on to the Holy. He is faithful...

    Blessings, Debbie

    ReplyDelete
  3. KarenApril 30, 2011 at 3:38 PM

    Joining you in prayer!

    ReplyDelete
  4. PamelaApril 30, 2011 at 4:54 PM

    Oh, I loved this. It can be applied to so many other heartaches in our lives, too. Approaching God focusing on His holiness.

    I'm adding my prayers for your Son.

    Blessings,
    Pamela

    ReplyDelete
  5. elaine @ peace for the journeyApril 30, 2011 at 5:13 PM

    I've been the prodigal daughter (at 28 with two kids); I'm sure my parents' prayers were much the same.

    Your best days of parenting are ahead of you, sister. Keep to it.

    peace~elaine

    ReplyDelete
  6. roselApril 30, 2011 at 6:18 PM

    I didn't have to go too far to realize that immoralities constantly surround us and this worldly way is truly shallow. I love the way our Savior saved us from our sins and at the same time, brought God's holiness into this place. The process is not easy but if we keep on drawing nearer to our Lord, He will sustain us...I believe in prayer covering...I believe because I was once a prodigal, same with my brothers whom my mother had prayed for. Day in...Day out...I saw those tears during helpless situations. But I also saw those tears of answered prayers. He does hear! Glory be to our God! Blessings and love to you sister...Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Nikki (Sarah)May 1, 2011 at 3:07 AM

    it hurts to watch someone you love hurting or not living right. I believe...prayer makes a huge difference. Me too...praying for your son.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Mevely317May 1, 2011 at 7:28 AM

    I love this prompt to re-focus
    our intercession.
    Thank you for this nugget of wisdom, Mary!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Kathleen May 1, 2011 at 7:29 AM

    You're preaching to this alert audience, Mary! I've got several of those prodigals in my own life. What has helped immensely is for me to switch-out my "pleas" (teh begging kind), for "thank you"s. By that I mean, I have begun to acknowledge & thank the Lord for the work He's doing in their lives, in them. I might not be able to see it, but I know He's at work. He loves them more than I.

    So, like the prodigal's father of old, I will pace the lot lines with my eye on the horizon. He was certain of his prodigal's return; and so am I.

    Hugs,
    Kathleen

    ReplyDelete
  10. CharlotteMay 2, 2011 at 10:30 AM

    What good advice. Thank you for sharing this with us.
    Blessings,
    Charlotte

    ReplyDelete
  11. PeggyMay 2, 2011 at 4:18 PM

    Thank you for the reminder in your post to keep my focus on God's holiness. That's really what it's all about. I pray your prodigal will come back and you will see God's holiness in the process.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Cooking Up FaithMay 2, 2011 at 6:45 PM

    Sometimes when I pray for others who are hurting or withdrawn, I ask God to forgive ME for the same attitude I see in them. Keep praying, keep seeking. I have neighbors that I thought would never enter into a church. I prayed and prayed for them. I had the thought (from the Holy Spirit) to invite their daughter to go to church with us one Sunday. They agreed, and she loved it. The following Sunday they ALL went to church as a family. God is reaching out to your son, He loves him, and won't let Him go either...

    ReplyDelete
  13. Beth in NCMay 3, 2011 at 2:48 AM

    Such a great message in this Mary. Thank you for sharing this with us. I need to redirect my focus too.

    Bless you friend!
    Beth

    ReplyDelete
  14. Marsha YoungMay 3, 2011 at 9:56 AM

    What a worthy admonition. Focusing on God's holiness - and it is an ever-present challenge in this polluted society in which we live, and work and move about.

    How glad we are for his grace. blessings to you - Marsha

    ReplyDelete
  15. Kelly LMay 3, 2011 at 1:16 PM

    Wonderful post! I love the newer look to your blog - great pictures.
    I've Become My Mother
    Kelly's Ideas
    Amazing Salvation

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Venomous Intruder

It’s the middle of rattlesnake season here on the ranch.  The local news anchor confirmed it.   I’ve seen two already.    While driving along our dirt road yesterday, I mistook a virulent enemy for a branch. I backed up the car, looked again and noticed the branch shifted revealing a rattle at its end. At one of our road association meetings in the barn, Shelby stood up and shouted, “ BOB !” to my next door neighbor.  He’s our vice president and the one all eyes were on as he gave a presentation in the middle of the room.  I sensed fear in the way she yelled his name.  I learned after the meeting that Shelby called out to him like that because she saw a rattler slither in the barn door where she and I sat.  Bob yielded to the interruption and quietly dispatched the enemy.  Ten minutes later, this tough guy was back to center stage falling right back in step with the business at hand.   Bob is my new best friend. ...
42 comments
Read more

Let's Live Together

I took a Ziploc bag of frozen pork chops out of the freezer and set them in the refrigerator to thaw.  I decided to make one of my favorite crock pot recipes with them.  I threatened the husband with a black eye if he ate the last of the sour cream because I needed it for that simple recipe. The next day, I carried my crock pot to my island in the kitchen and mixed the sour cream with an envelope of onion soup mix and decided to rinse the defrosted meat at the sink before adding to my recipe.  Then I noticed something. They weren’t pork chops.  To my surprise, I witnessed defrosted chicken thighs.  Very big chicken thighs; it must have been a hippy chicken.  The freezer bag’s label read Dec. ’15 in the husband’s writing.  I assumed it contained pork chops.  I was wrong. Write it like a man. Thinking like a man would think, he probably guessed that any fool could see these are chicken thighs when he placed them in a clear gal...
29 comments
Read more

Marriage Tip #44: Do What He Wants

I thought about our upcoming anniversary.   I prayed one morning for the marriages in my family, and a sentence about my own dropped in my spirit:  “ Do What He Wants .”  I paused, “Really?”  He’s his own man.  What if I end up in the wilderness camping by night and target shooting by day?  What if a coyote decides to have me as a late night snack? We celebrated our anniversary early this year, Before the kids come next week.   And we did it his way . This is how it happened. I never asked him about a plan or even mentioned our day.  I remember how it all unfolded at the roundabout just as we drove into Sedona.  He asked me if I would like to go to a baseball game.  I responded excitedly, “Yeah!”  Before the day was over, he purchased tickets for a Diamondbacks home game. He printed them out.  He booked a hotel room so we wouldn’t have to drive home from the city after the late evening game. ...
44 comments
Read more