Blog Layout
Make Me Holy
Andrea Lende • April 5, 2021
John 17:15 and 17
Make Me Holy
You can also read the devotion and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/Make-Me-Holy-eu90hs
John 17:15 and 1 7
“I do not ask that You will take them out of the world, but that You will keep and protect them from the evil one.”
“Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by Truth; Your Word is Truth.”
Jesus was praying for His disciples and all future believers in this passage.
The entire seventeenth chapter was a prayer to the Lord as Jesus’ time on earth was coming to an end.
He did not ask for the beloved disciples to be taken immediately to heaven with Him.
He could have and may have wanted to bring them with Him, but their mission was to start the Christian church.
So, He asked God to protect them from the enemy.
He also asked the Lord to sanctify them.
I love the Amplified Bible’s interpretation of the word sanctify.
It means to purify.
It means to consecrate or dedicate for a sacred purpose.
It also means to separate them for God Himself.
And, finally, to make them holy.
In the past, I have felt burdened with taking on the responsibility of becoming holy by myself.
Of course, I fail.
Then I feel shame, unworthiness, and like I cannot ever measure up.
I feel like I am not good enough.
Certainly not good enough for the Kingdom.
And then I wonder if I will ever be good enough, if I will ever sin less often, and if I will ever truly be counted among the holy.
So, as I read this passage today, I felt relief.
Jesus interceded on behalf of the disciples and all future believers.
He prayed the Lord do His work in them and in us.
He did not leave it up to them or us to perform it in ourselves.
He did say, however, that this sanctification was done by God’s Word.
So, my part in the sanctification process is to be in the Word.
There is Truth and Wisdom in the Word.
I learn more about the Lord and His ways as I read His Word.
I understand more about His magnificent love for me.
I cannot help but love Him more.
My heart and spirit are transformed in His Word.
Today I am thankful the Lord transforms me through His Word, and He sanctifies my soul.
May you find the Lord sanctifies your heart and soul as You learn more and more about Him and His ways through His Word.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for continuing to teach me about You in Your Word. Thank You for giving me an inquisitive mine so I desire to know more and stay in Your Word. Thank You for sanctifying my heart and mind as I read Your scriptures. And thank You for sending Your Son to teach us more about You and the love You have for Your people. Keep me seeking You, Lord. Help me see more of Your heart. Change my heart so it is more like Yours. Help me love like You do. Help me see those in need and make my heart more compassionate so I act on those feelings. Prepare me for Your service and use me as You have planned. Help me be obedient to You and Your will, Father. Don’t let me miss You, Father. Help me do all the things You ask me to do without hesitation. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM with you My child and will continue to sanctify you as you learn more about Me.
Response: Keep me seeking You, Lord and help me hear Your every whisper.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.