There is a Difference

Ezekiel 44: ²³ They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean.

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“Don’t go behind the pulpit” was a statement that struck fear in me as a child in a church I attended. I thought something would happen to me so I figured I would put it to the test. I stuck my hand behind the place where the preacher would speak and nothing happened, although I quickly removed it because I did not want to take any chances. Soon I was bold enough to walk back and forth behind it and make silly faces at it.

• Many times I have taken something sacred and turned it common.
• Many times I have looked at holy things as common.
• Many times I have treated something that should be holy as a thing that can be used like any other thing.

After growing up, I noticed churches were treating their places as common places looking very similar to any other place that had a crowd. I thought this was the norm and quickly fell in line. BUT GOD wanted me to think differently.

• GOD wants me to treat HIM as HOLY not common.
• GOD wants me to prepare myself before I enter HIS sanctuary of prayer and worship.
• GOD wants me to take some time to stop doing my everyday stuff and to have some sacred time between HIM and I.

GOD said to Moses “Take off your sandals for you are on sacred ground.” This intrigued me. I mean why was the dirt over there common and the dirt he was on sacred? The answer is GOD declared it.  GOD declares sacred times, namely the Sabbath. HE declares sacred places, namely prayer closets and churches. HE even declares sacred words, namely HIS message to us in the Bible.

It is up to me to see that there is a difference between holy and common, I don’t mean in a phony legalistic way. GOD wants me to lower my glossy eyes on common things like the new gadget and place them on heavenly things like GOD’s growing kingdom. HE wants me to see a difference in the common and the holy and teach others to hold GOD up in the highest regard.

• Are you treating GOD as common?
• Is nothing sacred in your life?
• Can you set aside some sacred time between you and GOD?