by Pastor Sharon Ortiz, Pastor of Education
“If God is holy, then He can’t sin. If God can’t sin, then He can’t sin against me. If He can’t sin against me, shouldn’t that make Him the most trustworthy being there is?”
—Jackie Hill Perry, Holier Than Thou
My husband and I work hard to provide good things for our children, but what satisfies them the most is when we are present with them: family movie nights, trips to the zoo, or sitting down and playing a round of Mario Party together. Don’t get me wrong—these little rugrats love the material things a little too much sometimes—but it is the moments and the memories, not the things, that most fill their hearts, and ours. As our oldest is entering his teenage years, what pleases me as a parent, more than him getting good grades or doing chores, is when he shares his thoughts and feelings with me, and lets me into that space.
We often think of God’s holiness as something that separates us more from Him. Yes, the word holy literally means “to be set apart,” but what I love about this quote from Jackie Hill Perry is that when you break down the logic of what a holy God means, it becomes an immensely personal thing; instead of making Him a far off, unapproachable figure, God’s holiness makes Him the one we can trust most in our lives, and therefore the safest person to ever walk the closest with. What a beautiful thought.
God’s desire is always closeness with us, so much so that He canceled the claim of our sin that separated us from Him, atoning for it by the shedding of His blood, satisfying His wrath, and restoring perfect righteousness. For this, He gave us Immanuel, God with us. As we are in the season of Advent, may we fully receive the gift of His presence. God with us. More than asking for what He can give us, may we long for more of Him. May we experience the fullness of joy that comes from the fellowship of His Spirit with ours. If you have been distant, may you remember that He is for you and His holiness means you can trust Him. May we draw near to the one who gifts Himself to us. May we remember that He is our portion and very great reward. May you lavish in the richness of knowing your Abba Father.
Immanuel, God with us, we thank You that Advent means no matter what, You are with us.