Defining Holiness

Of all the attibutes of God, holiness has been the most difficult for me to get a handle on. Years ago, when I was doing a series on God’s attributes, I wrote this about holiness:

Writing about God’s attributes hasn’t been easy, but of all the attributes that I’ve written about, this one has been the most difficult, because it’s not been easy for me to to understand exactly what it means that God is holy. Is it even right to think of God’s holiness in the same way we think of the other attributes of God? It doesn’t seems to be so much one among others, but rather, God’s overarching attribute—the attribute into which all the other attributes fit.

Here’s how J. I. Packer describes the holiness of God:

God is holy, different and standing apart from us, awesome and sometimes becoming fearsome to us. Holiness is a biblical technical term signifying the God-ness of God, the combined quality of being infinite and eternal; omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient; utterly pure and just; utterly faithful to his own purposes and promises; morally perfect in all his relationships; and marvelously merciful to persons meriting the opposite of mercy. God in his holiness is greatly to be praised and worshipped for both his greatness and his goodness at all times.

Quoting from Taking God Seriously: Vital Things We Need to Know (page 26).

Thankful Thursday

I’ve been thankful this week

• that God is in control. Even though I forget it and fret about things, God is still ruling and still unfolding his perfect plan.
• for strength to complete necessary tasks.
• for simmering soup on chilly days.
• for changing leaves and snow on the mountains. 
• for the exercise I get walking dogs and grandchildren.
• that God hears our prayers. 

Also thankful today:

• Persis
• Kim Shay

What are you thankful for? Leave a comment with your thanksgiving, post your thanksgiving on your blog, or tweet it. Give me the link by email or in a comment and I’ll add your thanksgiving to the list in the post.

Status Report: September

Sitting…at my desk, aka, the kitchen table.

Drinking…my morning coffee.

Waiting…for the grandchildren to arrive. Wednesday is when all three spend the day at my home. My house will be busy and (mostly) happy today. 

Wondering…where summer went. I’m not sure we ever had summer this year. And yesterday morning there was frost on the ground, fog in the air, and snow on the mountain. It is chilly, chilly, chilly already. 

Also wondering…where my ESV Study Bible went. I left it under the pew while I stayed in the toddler room during the service last Sunday and when I returned to retrieve it, it was gone. I’m sure someone thought it had been left behind accidentally and took it to return it, but it hasn’t shown up yet. If I never get it back, at least I’ll be able to tell people about the time someone stole my Bible in church.

Anticipating…picking cranberries. They’re ready, but I’m waiting for the forest floor to dry out a little before I kneel to pick.

Planning…to go back to planting a big garden next year so one hungry gopher won’t be able to eat half of everything. If you follow me on Twitter, you may already know about the back yard rodent that ate three heads of cauliflower, one whole broccoli plant, head and all, and lots of kale leaves. He likes the brassicas, I guess.

Feeling…a bit stressed because of all the nasty stuff happening in the world. I can’t shake the feeling that something somewhere will blow up, so to speak. I’m tempted to stop reading or watching to the news—or at least listening to the news on the radio before I get up in the morning.

Reading…Taking God Seriously: Vital Things We Need to Know by J. I. Packer, and The House of Wittgenstein: A Family at War by Alexander Waugh. Progress is slow. I’m hoping to get back to regular reading again once the berry picking season is over and what’s left in the garden is in. 

Studying…Ephesians—slowly, two or three verses a day. I’ve made it half-way through the fifth chapter. Unfortunately, all my notes are in my lost (stolen?) Bible.

Thanking…God that he rules the universe and is in control of the history of the world. 

Wishing…you a colorful September. May your autumn be a long one. 

Greeting…the grandkids.