There is a question from one of my Bible study lessons that continues to puzzle me. Normally I am content to move on past the stumping questions and onto those that I feel I can provide a solid, scripturally-sound answer. But I believe God was hoping I might wrestle with this one a bit. The question asked if I was personally set apart as God’s own and how have I set myself apart to Him. (www.bsfinternational.org) The more I ponder it, the more I see how loaded this question is. The weight of it equates with the likes of “what is the purpose of life?” questions.
My initial thoughts were along the lines of how I might distinguish myself as a follower of Christ from those around me that would not make that claim. While I don’t believe this line of thinking is completely off base, I am seeing there is so much more to it.
The context of the question is found in Leviticus which tells us that the Israelites were a nation “set apart” and were to be holy as God himself was holy. Now as a believer in Christ as the One who ransomed my life from sin and death, I too am set apart as His own and called to the same holiness as well. So I suppose the heart of the question is what am I doing to be holy? {Yikes!}
Before going any further it is important to mention that the blood of Christ is the ONLY thing that makes me Holy. But as the question above infers, God did the initial setting apart, but then I have a responsibility in the process as well. This is where my thoughts have lingered over the last several weeks, and just as God so lovingly does, He has provided some specific instruction for my life and journey toward holiness.
Claiming My Value
When I stop and really think on the fact that God would do the setting apart of lil ol’ me through the death of His Son, I can’t help but feel valued. The fact that I truly feel loved and valuable in itself is one way I can differentiate myself from those around me. So much of the hurt in this world, the wrong we do to others and ourselves is because we doubt our worthiness and are searching for significance. Once we understand our value in Christ, self no longer matters and we are free for humility in our relationships with others. So many are constantly striving to feel value from the empty ways of the world when the truth and freedom is right there in the cross.
Abiding in the Word
Speaking of truth…in order to be different, to be holy, I must know His Word. When I know it, believe it and rest in it, my perspective is transformed. My decisions, and therefore, my actions reflect my perspective. Suddenly my life becomes about taking the time to meet a need in a friend’s life, honoring my husband, and nurturing my children’s hearts. And all of this for the one set apart purpose of giving all Glory to God in how I live.
Naming It All Good
Not all that happens around me is good as we like to define the word. I have recently been following the story of Kara Tippetts through her book The Hardest Peace and her blog, Mundane Faithfulness. She is a wife and mom to four children and is currently in hospice care because she has been battling Stage 4 cancer. What she and her lovely family are facing is not good. The way God is meeting them with His “remarkable peace”, however, is good. The platform she now has to share her hope in Christ even in the face of her certain physical parting is undeniably good. The love that is being poured out on their family by their community in her final days…that is very good. The fact that she will be meeting Jesus in Heaven soon…that is the best. Her hard story and many others are evidence that good can be found and named as long as we have the eyes to see it. And when we do, it is yet one more way to set ourselves apart.