A Prayer About Holiness

When I think about being set apart to God

HOLY GOD,

Time and again I read in Scripture that you want your people to be sanctified, holy. I know this means you want us to be set apart from the rest of the world, completely devoted to you. We should be different from the rest of society by our behavior, certainly. This involves not doing particular things and doing others such as going to church, helping people, reading the Bible, and so forth. But it also means having a different outlook on life, with values, priorities, and motives that honor you. I’m afraid that I fall short, and at times, very little in my life distinguishes me as being your child, a part of your holy people. I know I’m not perfect and never will be until I see you face-to-face. But you want me to “be holy in everything [I] do.” I am a sinner, but I have been forgiven and declared not guilty. And now the Holy Spirit resides in me, helping me become more and more like Christ. I want to be holy and wholly yours.

You must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16