“In Between Normals”: A 30 Day Devotion on the Book of Acts预览

The Holiness of God

I am a proud father of two sons, and I love them both very much. When they were younger, I had a special way to celebrate my birthday. I would buy them a Nintendo Wii game console! Yes! A gift for them on my birthday!

I also have a serious side. I teach them that I don't mind them making mistakes, but I do expect honesty and integrity. If you make a mistake, tell me; we will handle it together. But if you lie to me, there will be consequences. So, would you say that I am a bad father because of my "serious" side?

The Holiness of God

Of all the words we use to describe God, I love "awesome" the most. The Cambridge dictionary defines "awesome" as (1) extremely good, and (2) causing feelings of great admiration, respect, or fear. It captures both the "loving" and "serious" sides of God.

In Acts 5, Ananias and Sapphira sold a property that they owned and brought the money to the Apostles. But there was a catch. They secretly kept some of the money whilst trying to deceive others into believing that they had given everything. They schemed to use God to achieve their deceitful purpose. ("See how godly and selfless we are?")

No! You don't play games with God. God is holy. The phrase "the fear of the Lord" points exactly to this sense of awe that we should have before God! If you prefer, replace it with "a holy respect for God."

Did you know that the holiness of God is the reason why God disciplines us? Did you know that the discipline of God is actually an expression of the love of God?

The Bible says, God "disciplines the one he loves." (Hebrews 12:6) The Greek word for "discipline" is paideuo. It comes from the Greek root pais (children). Discipline actually means "training of children." My friend, don't say "God is punishing me." Instead, say, "My father God loves me so much that He is now training me as His beloved child."

What’s the ultimate goal? God wants to produce in our lives "a harvest of righteousness and peace." (12:6) This is exactly what I want my sons to experience, too!

Reflection:

What is your understanding of “the fear of the Lord”? How does “the holiness of God” compel you to live differently?