Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving was originally set apart as a day to express gratitude to God for the year’s blessings.  How wonderful that as Christians, we can celebrate Thanksgiving every day!  No matter what challenges come our way, we can still thank God for His love, and for sending His Son to save us from our sins.

Do you have a list of blessings that you thank God for?  Do you thank Him for your family, job, food, a warm home?  I encourage you to add something to your list that you may not have considered: Thank God for His holiness.

Thank God for His holiness?

To better understand, let’s think about what “holy” means.  “Holy” means “separate”.  It comes from a word meaning to separate or to cut.   When describing God, holiness conveys the ideas of God’s greatness, and His goodness and purity.

Holiness is unique to God.  He is so great, so high above and beyond who we are, that no one can come close to His greatness.  Unlike us, He is without sin.

Isaiah 57:15
“For thus says the high and exalted One who lives forever, whose Name is Holy, I dwell on a high and holy place, and also with the contrite and lowly of spirit…”

God is completely pure, totally separated from evil. There is no trace of wickedness or sin in Him.

Psalm 145:17
“The Lord is righteous in all His ways…”

Scripture shows us that holiness is more than just another divine attribute tacked onto a description of God; God defines holiness. Holiness is the very core of God’s nature and character. This helps explain why God acts as He does.

Holiness infuses every other aspect of God’s nature. God is wholly love, wholly righteous, and wholly just.  His love, His righteousness, and His justice are holy and set apart.

Because of God’s holiness:

• God cannot lie (Titus 1:2).  He never changes (James 1:17).  We can trust His Word.
• God hates sin.  Yet, He still loves the sinner.
• God’s love and mercy motivated Him to send His own Son Jesus Christ to take the punishment for our sins.
• When we humble ourselves and accept Christ as our Savior and Lord, God doesn’t leave us where we are.  He immediately begins working in our heart and mind to change us to become holy as He is holy.

We can see a beautiful picture of God’s holiness, as well as His love and grace, in Isaiah 6:1-8.  Read it here or in your own Bible.

Isaiah the prophet had a vision of the holiness of God, and what was his response?  He suddenly became painfully aware of his own sinfulness. “I am ruined because my lips are unclean!” he cried.

Isaiah’s heartfelt confession of sin caused the Holy One to act on Isaiah’s behalf and graciously remove his sin.  This act of grace transformed not only Isaiah, but his relationship with God.  He willingly answered God’s call to service.

This Thanksgiving, and every day, remember to thank God for His holiness.  His holiness has made it possible for you to receive forgiveness of sins and new life in Christ.

Psalm 106:1
“Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting.”

What Do You Think?

Do you think we should thank God for His holiness?  Why?  Do you think being holy is important to your walk with Christ?  Do you think it is possible?

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