“You must be holy because I, the Lord, am holy.
I have set you apart from all the other people to be my very own.”
Leviticus 20:26
“You must faithfully keep all my commands by putting them into practice, for I am the Lord.
Do no bring shame on my holy name…I am the Lord who makes you holy.
Leviticus 22:31-32
Today my notes on Leviticus brought me to tears. Five times in three chapters, God told the Israelites that He had set them apart. From all other people, they were chosen to be HIS very own.
Remember how it felt to be chosen for someone’s team, or chosen as someone’s special date? You knew that person valued you and considered you special. So, what about when God sets us apart and chooses us to be His own? As He picks each one out of the crowd, He says, “This one is mine!”
The Israelites were chosen, not just for a date, but for a relationship. And because of that connection with Him, four times God told them not to bring shame on His holy name. Relationship with a holy God required their actions align with His holiness.
As a high schooler, I feared doing anything that would shame my father’s good name. So why would I ever want to shame my Heavenly Father’s name? I am so humbled that God would choose ME to be part of HIS family and bear HIS name. But fear is not what keeps me from shaming God’s holy name. It is His unfailing love that sets me apart as HIS very own…THAT kind of love removes ALL the shame, both from my name and His!
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