Scripture

Our verse for today comes from 1 Peter 1:16, “Because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.'” 

Background

Do you ever find yourself lacking motivation? Or are you given a bunch of tasks or responsibilities and left to wonder why? I know with having kids, sometimes the biggest struggle can be making them understand why something is so important. What motivates us doesn’t motivate them in the same way. And on the flip side, sometimes we get sucked into explaining ourselves to our children, as if we need to justify ourselves to them, when enough authority is already present in the mere instruction that we gave them. If you are struggling for motivation right now, perhaps the root of the problem is that you are looking for it in the wrong places, or expecting it to come through means that just won’t deliver. If you’d like a better salary so you’ll be driven to work harder, you may be waiting for a very long time. If you think others should pick up their slack so that you can get motivated to do your best, you may need to know that they may be thinking the exact same thing about you. And if you’re waiting for that bolt of lightning from God to jump start your devotion and love for Him, the reality may be that ten bolts couldn’t do for you what you truly need. 

Application

For the motivation that our Father offers is not found in the goodies we receive or the experiences we have. He deals with us on a much deeper, more substantial level. The motivation He delivers comes entirely from His very nature. He is holy. And because of that, and that alone, He calls us to be holy. Throughout the scriptures we encounter hundreds of commands and instructions that call for us to live a certain way and avoid certain things. But God’s sole intent in how we live is why we live, and that is to be holy because He is holy. The job, the family, the conversations, and whatever else fills your day, they are all given to you to live out in response to a holy God. Whatever motivation you think you need, the kind that lasts will come only when your eyes and heart dwell on the holiness of God. Who He is is enough to answer the why. Be and do everything because He is holy. 

Charge

As we seek Him today, look beyond what you can see to find the reason and motivation for what awaits you. Ask God to make His holiness your desire and goal. 

Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words