Avoiding Customs

You must not live according to the customs of the nations I am going to drive out before you. You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.

Leviticus 20:23, 26

Leviticus is staggering with the holiness of God. Most of the things that are unacceptable or detestable in God’s sight are understandable, for sure! The punishment is often shocking, however. God will not tolerate sin among His people.

Just like a fish doesn’t understand the concept of ‘wet’ (because it has never been dry!) we can be worldly because that’s the ‘atmosphere’ that we find ourselves in. The culture we live in is opposed to god and doesn’t even know it. How much of what is normal to us is abhorrent to our holy God?

When we hear the Good News and receive salvation – everything changes! We’ve gone from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of Light! We are now God’s chosen people. It seems right that God would say to us, His NT People, to not live according to the customs of this nation. We need to pursue holiness because He is holy! We belong to Him… we are to reflect Him. The character of Christ needs to increasingly become our own character.

Holy Father, I know that when I see You face to face I will fall on my face because of Your holiness. Thank You for the grace You give in Jesus… that I am able to approach You… how amazing! Thank You for Your patience with me. Please continue to chip away at me, removing from my life everything that is not of You… making me more like Jesus.