Specimens of Holiness?

Oswald Chambers in his classic daily devotional My Utmost For His Highest wrote: “God’s purpose is to make us one with Himself. The emphasis of holiness movements tends to be that God is producing specimens of holiness to put in His museum.”

Recently, when I read those words, I was challenged to consider how I view holiness, what holiness means and how it is worked out in a person’s life. Is God trying to make me into a ‘specimen of holiness’ to show off? I don’t think so. If that is what He is trying to do – may I be bold enough to say: He’s not doing a very good job. He’ll never have a trophy for His trophy case.

God is at work to make us like Jesus. God is at work to get our will to the place where we are open and available for His work. The Old Testament book of Zechariah records a conversation between the Devil and God regarding the High Priest Jeshua and it reveals an interesting truth about humans.

And the LORD said to Satan, "I, the LORD, reject your accusations, Satan. … this man is like a burning stick that has been snatched from the fire."

Jeshua's clothing was filthy as he stood there before the angel.

So the angel said to the others standing there, "Take off his filthy clothes." And turning to Jeshua he said, "See, I have taken away your sins, and now I am giving you these fine new clothes." (Zechariah 3:2- 4 NLT)

God is not looking for perfect people, even perfect High Priests or perfect Prophets. He is looking for people who He can ‘take away their sins’ and make them into a ‘burning stick.’ Where does God find those people? He ‘snatches them from the fire.’

God is looking for people to ‘snatch from the fires’ of life and then HE takes their sins away and HE gives them ‘fine new clothes.’

God isn’t trying to find trophies or make trophies. God is looking for people to transform and then to use to ‘snatch from the fire’ and ‘take away their sins’ and ‘give them new clothes’ and then do it all over again with someone in the fires of life!

That is what Biblical holiness is – God transforming one so that He can use them. Over and Over and Over again!

Here we are Lord, Rescue us from the ‘fires’ of life. Take away our sins. Give us clean clothes. Use us to rescue others. Amen