Dear Church,

Yesterday in church we looked at Isaiah’s vision of the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne. Above Him, the Seraphim flew, calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” (Isaiah 6:3)

But why do they repeat “holy” three times? Wouldn’t once have been enough? There are two possible reasons.  One: There are Three Persons in the One God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Two: In Hebrew, repetition communicates intensity. To say “holy” once makes a statement. To say “holy, holy” magnifies it. But to say “holy, holy, holy” is to declare God’s holiness to the highest possible degree.

Holiness is not just one part of who God is, it saturates His entire being. His power is holy power. His love is holy love. His wisdom is holy wisdom. Holiness defines everything God is and everything He does.
But here’s where it touches us.  As we heard yesterday God not only reveals His holiness, but He also calls us to it. “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16)

What does that look like in our daily lives? It looks like surrendering our lives to the “Holy” Spirit who helps us to live lives that are set-apart. Apart from Him, Holiness is impossible. When we surrender our thoughts to Him, he refuses to let bitterness, lust and pride take root. When we surrender our words to him, he chooses to encourage over gossip. When we surrender to Him our priorities, He helps us set apart time for God and helps us to choose obedience over conveniences. Remember Holiness isn’t about perfection, it’s about separation. It’s about living set apart, different from the world, because we belong to Him.

This week, may we remember: the God we serve is holy, holy, holy, and He calls us to reflect His holiness in the way we think, speak, and live.

Be Encouraged,
Mathews