From Holey to Holy
Dexu Xia
He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. 2 Timothy 1:9
As a child, my daughter loved playing with her Swiss cheese at lunch. She’d place the pastel yellow square on her face like a mask, saying, “Look, Mom,” her sparkly green eyes peeking out from two holes in the cheese. As a young mom, that Swiss-cheese mask summed up my feelings about my efforts—genuinely offered, full of love, but so very imperfect. Holey, not holy.
Oh, how we long to live a holy life—a life set apart for God and characterized by being like Jesus. But day after day, holiness seems out of reach. In its place, our “holeyness” remains.
In 2 Timothy 1:6-7, Paul writes to his protégé Timothy, urging him to live up to his holy calling. The apostle then clarified that “[God] has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace” (v. 9). This life is possible not because of our character, but because of God’s grace. Paul continues, “This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time” (v. 9). Can we accept God’s grace and live from the platform of power it provides?
Whether in parenting, marriage, work, or loving our neighbor, God calls us to a holy life—made possible not because of our efforts to be perfect but because of His grace.
By: Elisa Morgan
How do you view personal holiness? In what ways will you ask God to remind you of His all-surpassing grace that brings about His holiness in your life?
Dear God, please help me to lean into Your grace and not my efforts to live a holy life.
圣洁生活
上帝救了我们，以圣召召我们，不是按我们的行为，乃是按祂的旨意和恩典。—提摩太后书1章9节
女儿小时候喜欢把玩午餐的瑞士乳酪。她会把淡黄色的方形乳酪盖在脸上当面具，从乳酪的两个洞中露出她发亮的眼睛，说：“妈妈，你看！”作为一个年轻的母亲，那副瑞士乳酪面具总结了我对自己努力的感受──充满爱地真诚付出，但却极不完美。因为有了洞，有了缺陷，不能成为圣洁。
是啊，我们多么渴望活出圣洁的生活，即为上帝分别为圣、具备基督特质的生活。但是日复一日，圣洁生活似乎遥不可及，我们仍旧充满了缺陷。在提摩太后书1章6-7节，使徒保罗写信给他的门生提摩太，劝勉他要活出上帝呼召的圣洁生活。保罗阐述：“上帝救了我们，以圣召召我们，不是按我们的行为，乃是按祂的旨意和恩典”（9节）。我们能活出圣洁的生活，不是因为我们的品格，而是因为上帝的恩典。保罗说：“这恩典是万古之先在基督耶稣里赐给我们的”（9节）。我们是否愿意领受上帝的恩典，从中汲取力量，活出这样的生活呢？不论是在养育子女、婚姻、职场，或爱邻舍等各个方面，上帝都呼召我们过圣洁的生活──我们能活出这样的生活，不是因为我们努力要成为完美，而是因为上帝的恩典。作者： 莫丽莎
你觉得自己有活出圣洁的生活吗？为什么？
你要如何提醒自己靠上帝的恩典活出圣洁的生活？
亲爱的上帝，求祢帮助我活出圣洁的生活，不是靠自己的努力，而是倚靠祢的恩典。