Saturday, December 16, 2006
"Infant holy, infant lowly…”
Another Saturday, the seventh day, a Sabbath.
HOW DO WE SEEK TO “BE HOLY AS GOD IS HOLY?”
Dr. John Clifford
During December, these are not days of rest for most of us: there are shopping, decorating, parties, cards to write, wrapping, cooking to do, travel to plan…and a day without “work” allows us to work at all these!
The Sabbath, though, has been a day to step back, to slow down, and search out God’s designs for us. It is a moment to reflect on “holiness” – that distinct and different way of life God calls us to live. We call Jesus “holy” because he so perfectly lived out God’s path of wisdom, justice, righteousness, and love. Those were the prophets’ regular list of the Messiah’s character.
It is important that we learn to recognize and welcome these characteristics, and practice them! It is in our lives and in our world, that we can begin to notice God’s work in our midst. The Sabbath is the time we step back from the hurry in our world in order to consider for ourselves how we may live in Christ’s footsteps, and what it means to be a “holy people" in our day. When we see these things alive among us, we also find God present with us, “Emmanuel.”
WHAT CAN I DO TO LIVE MORE LIKE JESUS?
Prayer: Holy God, we know we fall short of your desires for us, and yet we know that you keep calling us to learn more, to practice until we do live more like our Master. Give grace and strength and light to us as we seek to be your holy people. Amen.