Pray:
You have called me out of the world. I set myself apart for You and You alone.
Read:
Leviticus 11:1-45
Reflect:
What things does God call us to avoid?
Clean and unclean foods were familiar concepts to the Israelites and date back to the time of Noah (Gen. 7:2). Yet it can seem odd to us why some animals are designated clean and some not. Although explanations of health and hygiene have been suggested over the years, none has been substantiated. What is clear, however, is God's concern that his people live in purity right down to the smallest details of their lives.
Holiness is the central theme of the whole book of Leviticus. God intended his people to be different from all others on the earth, because they were to be like him in holiness. In choosing them, God had already made them special, but by prescribing his requirements for holiness God was calling them to reflect his character.
We too have been chosen and set apart by God. He has made us holy through Jesus--we share in the holiness and righteousness of Christ through his death and resurrection--and we are called to show what God is like in all the details of our lives.
Apply:
What does it mean to be holy in your daily life? In what ways are you discernibly different from the world? Journal about it.
Pray:
I invite Your light, Holy God. I want to live a life worthy of You. Thank You that You are alive in me.
