The Soil of Ancient Civilizations
2 Corin 6:17 Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”
18 And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
2 Corinthians 7
New International Version (NIV)
7 Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
In the ancient world, the Israelites had many laws regarding cleanliness. Among these laws were washing their hands before eating (not a bad practice) and they were to touch no unclean thing, including the dead. These physical laws were presumed to bring them closer to a holy God, yet many times they kept their bodies clean to the detriment of their spirits.
You remember Pig-pen, the Charlie Brown character who can come out of a tub of water dirty. He sometimes excused his perpetually dirty state by saying “the soil of ancient civilizations had settled on him.”
What excuses do we make for failing to allow holiness to reign in our hearts? What justifications seem palatable to us even though they separate us from God and from our fellow man?
May we recognize once and for all that God loves us so much, but He cannot tolerate sin. May we seek His face early while He may be found, and may we focus like a laser beam on what is good and pure and acceptable in His sight.
PRAYER: Our Father, we praise you today for who you are. We give you thanks for all you have done and all you are doing in our lives. May we allow you to cleanse us of all that would separate us from you and your great love. Amen
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Seeking Holiness 