Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come. Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty, God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity.
Holy God, when I pause to think about Your holiness, I realize I don't know You, not to Your heart, not to Your perfection and purity and separateness from this creation in which I reside. I have heard about You. I have read Your Book. I've felt Your Presence. I've heard Your prompting and guidance. I've been washed in Your Blood. But who are You, so separate from what You have created that You have no need of us, of this world, of time or space? You are self-sufficient and self-existent. You are holy, holy, holy.
Then, I think about Your patience and the various ways that You have revealed Yourself to Your children — the Son, the Word, the Indwelling Spirit, the Creation. How You are all about overcoming the sin that separates us so that we can come back into Your presence. These are the actions of a holy God? Definitely a loving and forgiving God.
And then I am dismayed to think of the times that I've questioned Your character and Your goodness. You who have never sinned — to have Your actions judged by a finite, created, selfish creature like me. How stupid I can be. How forgiving You are. Thank You for patience. Thank You for Your holiness, that doesn't change no matter how unholy I am. Thank You that we would be separate except for the blood of Jesus that cleanses me from sin and provides the way back into Your life. You are a holy God.
I thank You, too, that I can be holy because You are holy. That I can be righteous because You are righteous. That I can be clean and forgiven and pure. I don't have to live in stupidity and sin. All because You are holy and unchanging and faithful regardless of what Your creation does. I praise You for being a holy God who is mighty to save. I bow before You and worship.
Amen and amen.
