Important Task

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.  Hebrews 12:14 

I suppose most of us have  a list.  Some call it a bucket list, others may call it a list of short and long term goal and for others is may simply be a wish list to keep tucked in the drawer or in the back of your mind. Whatever you call it, I have something we should add.  This particular item should not only be added to the long term, someday list but also to the task list we make each day.  It’s so important it just can’t wait another day and we have to get into the practice of giving it specific attention.  What is it, you might be wondering…

We need to be holy.  Holiness isn’t just something for sweet old ladies or monks and nuns who spend their days in silent contemplative prayer.  Holiness is something for each of us…today…every day.  It’s something to become and it’s something to talk about.  I got a gift for Christmas.  Actually a few hundred of my good friends got the same gift.  It was a book by Matthew Kelly called The Biggest Lie In The History Of Christianity. It’s a great read, and easy read, and an important read.  One of the sections that grabbed my attention was the chapter when he spoke about being holy.  Somewhere pop culture snuck in and we became afraid to let our desire to be holy show or grow. 

I would like to share one simple and powerful strategy he laid out  for each of us that can help us embrace and grow our holy.  He suggests not re-vamping our entire life and running off to a convent or monastery, but rather to have a “Holy Moment” today.  He describes that as a moment when you silently stop and do one thing God is guiding you to do.  It might be  moment of silent prayer when you’re prompted to be still.  It might be a simple action or reaction that is inspired by God and not by our desires.  It’s just a moment when we stop, shut up and let God be in charge of us.  It might mean not snapping back or acting with mercy instead of judgement.  It might mean calmly letting someone cut in front of us without getting into a huff; realizing there may be an important reason that driver is in such a hurry.  Mr. Kelly suggests that if we strive for just  one holy moment a day, we may soon discover that we have several and when we begin to include them in our days we begin to see God working in our days and before we know it there are dozens of holy moments each day and then change really begins to happen.  Just a moment, that’s how it starts.  That’s how we begin to grow in holiness and that is exactly what God has planned for us to be.

The book is wonderful so if you got it for Christmas read it.  If you read it give your copy to someone who hasn’t and if all else fails, order it for yourself.  Being holy should be the number one thing on our to-do list so let today be the day you strive for your first Holy Moment!

A Seed To Plant:  Ask God to lead you to a holy moment today.  Share it with someone and pass on the holy moment challenge.​

Blessings on your day!