Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God. (Lev. 20:7)
OCCASIONALLY, people I know personally will tell me they’ve read my memoir, and I invariably feel a little uncomfortable. My book is a personal account that is much easier to share with strangers than friends. I often feel the urge to glance through it again with new eyes, imagining what they must have been thinking as they read. I cringe at parts I think might offend my mother, laugh at parts I know certain friends would find humorous, groan at what might sound harsh to this person or wimpy to that person. I’m aware that everyone has a unique perspective, and they bring those perspectives to what they read in the pages of my story.
In the same way, God brings a perspective to what He sees in our world. He is a real person. Imagine Him beside you on the couch when you had the TV on last night; would you cringe? Imagine Him walking with you as you passed a homeless man; would you treat the person differently? Imagine Him sitting beside you in church; would you look at your watch less often?
Being holy involves looking at the world constantly from God’s perspective, and is a beautiful act of worship. God is always near even if we don’t realize it, but asking to be given His eyes and to know His heart creates a deeper sense of His presence.
Fast for a day, and use hunger pangs as your reminder of the Lord’s presence.
Heather Gemmen Wilson is a bestselling author and international speaker. She is married to a Wesleyan pastor, and together they have six children. She is also author of the preteen Lydia Barnes series (WPH).
