Romans 1:7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

How many people have thought about being called to be a saint? The NIV softens that to “holy people,” which is probably a good thing, since we attach such baggage to the word, saint. Still, how many people think about being called to be holy? We all want grace and peace, but do we think we qualify? The issue is two-fold. In the first place, we recognize that many of our thoughts and impulses don’t seem to qualify as holy, whether or not we follow through on them. In the second place, the devil has been all too successful in convincing mankind that sin is fun. In the short term, some of it is, or it wouldn’t be so tempting. The problem is, there’s a world of difference between momentary pleasure and long-term joy. It’s not at all that life in Christ isn’t fun, it’s just that the devil presents it to us that way. My mother once told me about the non-Christian girlfriend of a seminary student who went to a party with him, and afterward commented, “I never knew you could have so much fun without alcohol!” We get all confused as to what is holy and what isn’t. Sex is perfectly holy between a husband and wife, to the point that it is a picture of the union between Christ and the Church, but for precisely that reason, the devil likes to make it as dirty as possible. Likewise, we are called to trust God when we don’t know what the outcome will be, but gambling can destroy people. Following Christ is the perfect lifestyle for a genuine thrill seeker! Going back to Paul’s salutation here, I think God calls all mankind to be holy, but only some of us respond to His call. The rewards for doing so are literally out of this world, but too many of us are too shortsighted to realize that. We need to count the cost in the short term, not being discouraged by the troubles Jesus assured us we would encounter, (John 16:33) and rejoice in “the goal that is set before us.” (Philippians 3:14) We are indeed called to be holy, and the better we respond to that call, the more peace and joy we will have.

There are probably many who consider me holy today, but they don’t know my past, or my thought life! This is a matter of daily commitment, just as Jesus said. (Luke 9:23) There are moments when I am aware of the Lord working powerfully through me, and there are moments when I wonder if I’m on the right path at all! I do want to so live that people following me will be following Christ, but there are moments when I hope they don’t see me! I have learned the hard way that my own strength and wisdom can’t cut it, but God is able to do it in and through me, if my will is submitted to Him. As Peter quoted, God’s command to me is, “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16) I want to be obedient to Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the experience of fasting yesterday, for the first time in a long time. I want to do that regularly, so I ask for clear guidance. May I be a clean vessel, fit for holy use, (2 Timothy 2:21) fully available to my Lord for however He wants to use me, for His glory. Thank You. Praise God!