“Holiness, not happiness, is the chief end of man.”
Oswald Chambers
Early in my Christian walk, I found myself searching for whatever resources I could find that would lead me into a deeper relationship with God. As my love affair with Scripture grew, I was desperate to know more. I was captivated by the many Old Testament stories and how they revealed the persistent nature of God. What struck me the most was His relentless pursuit of His people despite their proclivity to fall short. Time and again we have examples of human frailty up against the holiness of God. Not until the arrival of Jesus were we able to come face to face with the real essence of God.
I was introduced to Oswald Chambers in those early days of my faith. A spiritual mentor saw within me an unquenchable hunger to know God. As we diligently studied scripture, he one day gifted me with a devotional called “My Utmost For His Highest.” No devotional has touched me more over the years than what I call a modern-day book of Psalms. Much like David in the Psalter, we see a man pouring his heart out to God. His words are intentional, humble, and clearly transformative. Chambers’ deepest desire for holiness lies in his profound response to God’s invitation to follow Him.
The theme of holiness is prevalent in Chambers’ writings. As in Scripture, we are often reminded of this important characteristic found in God. In the Book of Revelation, we see the four living creatures worshiping God and testifying to His unique nature, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” (Revelation 4:8, NIV) However, it doesn’t matter how hard we strive for holiness, it seems to be just out of our reach. If we are honest with ourselves, we can’t help but be convicted by our sin when up against it. This in turn reminds us of how unworthy we really are. And yet, perhaps, this is our starting point. Conviction will lead to confession and confession will lead to change (repentance) with the deep desire to be more like God. Perhaps this is what holiness is really all about.
As we continue on our Lenten pilgrimage, I’m reminded of the ancient hymn of the eastern church called the “Trisagion.” It is a hymn of adoration that we partake in each Sunday in our traditional worship and words I find myself meditating on each morning of this penitential season with the ultimate desire to be more like God.
“Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One.”
“The Book of Common Prayer,” pg. 356
