The Chosen

Holiness is beautiful, an expression of love and devotion. It is the way to become a person filled with God-potential! Never thought about it that way? Consider what Peter writes: "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God." Bev and I have a 'holy' relationship with each other, meaning that I belong uniquely and exclusively to her and she to me. Because of that we care for each other, defend each other, and look for ways to bring out the best in each other. I hope that our relationship has made her a better person in every way - and I know that she has certainly made me more, much more, than I would have been without her! In much the same way, we belong exclusively to God and our unique relationship allows us to be enriched in order "that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." (1 Peter 2:9, NIV)

Holiness is sometimes misunderstood as a life of deprivation expressed in many prohibitions. As a teenager that is how I interpreted God's demand that I be holy! Holiness, to me then, meant that - I didn't drink alcohol, didn't smoke cigarettes, didn't attend the movies, didn't play sports on Sunday, didn't use profane language, didn't have sex (or even think about it!).... and now I see those prohibitions had a purpose. Then, I totally failed to grasp why I wasn't supposed to do those things. I thought that 'not doing' was being holy. What I missed was that by saying 'yes' to a special relationship with God, I also said 'no' to certain behaviors so I could be filled with His Holy Spirit! To me, at the time, holiness was about doing 'right' things and staying out of trouble; so I lived under constant fear of failing to keep the rules and being condemned to Hell. I knew next to nothing of the joy of becoming a person who knew the high calling of loving and serving God with a joyful heart. Therefore, I didn't know the privilege of being the best He could make me be!

Now I realize that holiness is a lot like being in a wonderful marriage! It is true that when I said, "I do" to Bev, that both privileges and prohibitions accompanied my pledge. I cannot date other women. I cannot use our money just for my own pleasure. I cannot take time away from her selfishly. But is that all my marriage 'holiness' means? Of course not. In fact, because I love her, I seldom think about the things I cannot do. Instead, I celebrate the joy of being owned by her and owning her love. I can hold her, talk with her, share life with her, and know an intimacy with her that has no equal in this present world.

When Christ came into your life and you responded to His invitation with a pledge of "Yes," you entered into a covenant of holiness. You gave away your life and became His. Moses described our relationship with God in both privilege and prohibition language. -- "You have declared this day that the LORD is your God and that you will walk in his ways, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws, and that you will obey him. And the LORD has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the LORD your God, as he promised." (Deuteronomy 26:17-19, NIV)

Holiness is a life of privilege expressed in many opportunities. We are the Chosen, filled with the Spirit so that we love and serve Him, displaying a rich and full life before the world. Our chosen status is not one of elitism, one that allows us to show disdain for 'lesser' beings! No way. We are to be a display of something wonderful that God is doing, so that others will desire to know Him and to be holy, too.

"Give to the Lord the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come before Him. Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness! " 1 Chronicles 16:29, NKJV
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On Palm Sunday, the Assembly will follow the normal worship schedule which can be found at http://washingtonag.net/service.htm

Plan to attend our special services the following week:
Good Friday - Communion at 7 PM, followed by a showing of "The Passion of the Christ" (the full version) at 8 PM.
Easter Sunday - Sunrise worship at 8 AM at Meadow Breeze Park, followed by a continental breakfast in the Family Fellowship Center.
There will be one worship service at 10:30 AM which will include a celebration of Baptism.

Join us to praise the One who has "called us out of darkness and into His wonderful light."