Is Holiness a Goal?

Wow. I just saw Psalm 17:15 in a whole new light the other day as I was meditating on it (while weeding my garden... LOL!)

Psalm 17:15, "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness."

This verse became special to me in my freshman year of Bible college, when my friend April shared it with me... It was her life verse, and I claimed it for my own life verse for that period of time.  Thanks, April!

At that time I viewed it as a "declaration" verse stating that I was seeking to be holy, to become righteous. Now, there is a truth that as I yield to Christ, my behaviour and actions become more righteous as I grow in Him. However, there are many passages that tell me that positionally I already am righteous, because I am "in Christ." Please hear (read) me out and consider this carefully! This concept has really changed my life and my thinking!

As I learn to know Him and yield to Him more readily, more often, and on more of regular basis, rather than yielding to my default/fleshly desires and behaviour, my life will exhibit more and more of His righteousness that is already in me by His Spirit.

So from that change of thought--that I should look at holiness as a position in Christ that I yield to, rather than a goal to attain--this is the personal application the Lord gave me from my "old" life verse:

As for me, I will (desire and choose to) behold (gaze upon, focus upon, look to) His face in (through His) righteousness (in me). He plants the right desire in me as I yield to His Spirit living in me. The only way I will be satisfied (have true, lasting satisfaction, truly and deeply at rest and content) is when my focus is HIM, awaking with His likeness, from the early morning: starting my day beholding Him by claiming His righteousness afresh, first thing in the morning. Choosing to walk that way with Him through the day.

Thoughts All a Dither

Ever realized that you're a mess? Thoughts all a dither*?


*Dither (Mirriam-Webster):  a highly nervous, excited, or agitated state 

Image: Christine Martell, VisualsSpeak

I have come to this realization quite often. My emotions are a mess! (It might have something to do with the fact that I'm a woman!) 


Too many times I allow my emotions to direct my thought patterns, instead of disciplining my thought life to line up with the Truth (God's Word). I begin to tell myself stories that are completely fictional, with no foundation or backing. I tell myself stories that say people are mad at me, stories that say I am a failure, stories that say I am better than the next person, stories that say I will never learn, stories that say I am trapped, stories that say I can't help but be like I am... stories, stories, stories... all lies of the enemy of my soul.

For the enemy hath persecuted my soul**; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead. (Psalm 143:3)

**"Soul" in this case (Strong's Concordance): seat of emotions and passions


Proverbs 16:3 says, "Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established."


Whenever I find my thoughts all a dither, the chances are high that I need to make a choice. I need to "commit" (or recommit) my "works"--whatever job or project that has my attention, as well as its outcome, to the Lord. Whatever has me worried or upset probably has to do with my taking control of the thing. Wanting to control its progress or its outcome. Wanting to manipulate someone else's behaviour to suit my needs. 


From a fleshly point of view, the solution is not easy, and yet it is simple. Once, through the power of the Spirit, I make the decision, choosing to rely on Jesus and trust that He is in control, no matter what it looks like, I come to peace, and my thoughts are established, settled. I can breathe. I can even sing. I'm no longer in turmoil. I have "laboured to enter into rest" (Hebrews 4:11). I have returned to a state of rest in my soul (Psalm 116:7). And I suddenly realize the Lord truly has "dealt bountifully with me"!

Come Thou Fount

Keukenhof Gardens, Netherlands


Have you ever meditated awhile on the words of the hymn "Come Thou Fount" by Robert Robinson? Would you take a few moments just to read carefully and dwell on these thoughts?


1. Come, thou Fount of every blessing,

 Tune my heart to sing Thy grace; 

 Streams of mercy, never ceasing, 

 Call for songs of loudest praise. 

 Teach me some melodious sonnet, 

 Sung by flaming tongues above. 

 Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it, 

 Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Jesus is the Fount that pours out every blessing in my life. When I realize that everything I have is a gift from Him--whether perceived good or bad*--my spirit (which is redeemed) wants my heart (my mind, will, and emotions, which are still carnal) to be tuned into that fact! Then I want to sing and tell everyone I know about His grace and never-ending streams of mercy!

*"Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting, e'er to take as from a Father's hand."
(from the hymn "Day by Day.") 

 2. Here I raise mine Ebenezer*; 

 Hither by Thy help I'm come; 

 And I hope, by Thy good pleasure, 

 Safely to arrive at home. 

 Jesus sought me when a stranger, 

 Wandering from the fold of God; 

 He, to rescue me from danger, 

 Interposed His precious blood.

Oh to fully realize and continually remember that it's only by God's help that I have come to whatever place I've matured thus far in my life. And to acknowledge that it's only by His grace and pleasure (because He desires it) that He will safely conduct me home to Heaven. I'm so grateful that He searched for me when I was a sinner--born in sin--and that he "interposed" His precious blood on my behalf! 

 
*Ebenezer is a reference to I Samuel 7:12, meaning "hitherto hath the Lord helped." Other study helps indicate its meaning as "stone of help." It was a memorial stone erected by Samuel as a remembrance of the Lord's help in defeating the Philistines. 

3. O to grace how great a debtor 

 Daily I'm constrained to be! 

 Let thy goodness, like a fetter, 

 Bind my wandering heart to thee. 

 Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, 

 Prone to leave the God I love; 

 Here's my heart, O take and seal it, 

 Seal it for thy courts above. 

I am such a debtor to His grace! Because I was saved as a young child and did not dabble much in the world, at times I have not understood everything from which Jesus saved me. Now daily I can recognize more and more from which He saved me! I can recognize my proud heart, my arrogance in thinking I've been spiritual, my quiet rage and inward bitterness others don't see. Yes, He saved me from so much! And it's His goodness that makes me want to more tightly bind my heart to His! He doesn't force me to live for Him. I want to, because I'm so grateful for His grace daily shown in my life, ever willing to deliver me from my pride and arrogance, my anger and bitterness. My flesh makes me prone to wander away, to sink back into these besetting sins, but my spirit wants Him to take my heart and keep it close to His--a daily choice to walk in the power of the Spirit of God that lives within me! What freedom! Freedom to choose Him, not the destructive way of living!