“Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is like you – majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?”

Exodus 15:11

Peter 1:15-16 challenges us to be holy as God is holy. The text continues by describing what it means to be holy and set apart: to live as strangers on earth in fear of the Lord. In I Peter 1:1, stranger is defined as “exile” – a person living temporarily on earth, but whose home is in heaven. I Peter 1:18 reminds readers that we are redeemed not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ. Consequently, we are not to take lightly the holiness of God, but to pursue holiness because God is holy. What an opportunity we have to bring God’s light into a dark world by being a holy people who are set apart for God! The Word of God teaches us to fear the Lord; that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

(Proverbs 1:7) Fear of the Lord implies our revering Him, honoring Him, and knowing Him as majestic and holy. Though we are called to intimacy with Christ, we must approach Him with reverence. Moses heard the voice of God in the burning bush and was told to remove his sandals. (Exodus 3:5) Perhaps his sandals represented the places Moses had been that were not holy – the places where he had been defiled. He removed his sandals to stand before a holy God.

What are your sandals that represent the things that defile a holy God – a sinful relationship, an unholy business partnership, a sin that you refuse to give over to God? The Lord is calling you as a child of God to remove your sandals and stand before Him, the majestic, awesome God.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you that through Christ I am able to approach Your throne of grace with confidence.

(Hebrews 4:16) Help me to remember that as I approach You, I approach You as a holy, majestic God. Thank you that when I come to You stained with sin, You receive me, wash me, and place on my feet sandals of holiness.

In Jesus’ name, Amen