READING:
One-year plan: Leviticus 17-20
Two-year plan: Esther 8-10, Acts 17:10-21
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If you’ve been a reader of these devotions for some time, you know there are days when the Word just penetrates my heart—often with things I’ve read many times before, but that for some reason give me pause on a given day. Today is one of those days.
In the Old Testament chapters we’ve read today, notice this recurrent theme:
- “Speak to the entire Israelite community and tell them: Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.” (Lev 19:2)
- “Consecrate yourselves and be holy, for I am the Lord your God.” (Lev 20:7)
- “You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be mine.” (Lev 20:26)
Actually, the word “holy” occurs 40 times to this point in the book of Leviticus – so you’ve seen this trend before. I think what caught my attention today is the simple reminder that God chose to call His people to holiness so many times because they tended to forget it–or ignore it.
So do you and I, I suspect. Many of us can at times forget, ignore, or take for granted even the most important spiritual things. I can speak only for myself, but I, too, need this repetition.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Do you need this repetition, too?
DAILY PRAYER: “God, help me make holy choices this day.”
MONDAY’S READINGS:
One-year plan: Leviticus 21-24
Two-year plan: Job 1-2, Acts 17:22-34
MEMORIZATION VERSE (Feb 1-15):
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)