VERSE FOR TODAY: Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: "Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy (Leviticus 19:2, New International Version).
HYMN FOR TODAY: "Be Thou My Vision"
Character Above All, a book of a few year ago, set it to evaluate the character of ten American presidents. The book tried to identify the moral essence of each man. Of one President, the book observe, "He couldn't stand to be alone, he needed constant companioship, attention and approval. He had insatiable appetites for work, women, food, and material possessions. They were all in the service of filling him up; of giving him a sense of validity or sense of self worth." What a tragic description of emptiness.
God has always been very concerned about character. He gave the law to Israel to guide it's people in the path of goodness.
Laws do not tend to be exciting reading and it is doubtful that many of them are underlined in our Bibles. But God's laws cover many aspects of life: respect for parents, prohibition of idolatry, instruction for sacrifice, provision for the poor and foreigner, honesty, consideration, kindness, justice, and obedience to God, to name just a few.
Overarching all the laws is character of God. The standard for our character is the holiness of God. We are to be holy because He is holy. We are to be separated to God and to reproduce His character in the details of our lives.
PRAYER THOUGHTS: Dear Lord, we seek to be like You. We most desire to be people of holiness, who are set apart to You and You only. May Your character be reflected in all that we do and say. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment