Separate Unto Him

I am currently reading through Forty Days on the Mountain: Meditations on Knowing God by Stephen E. Smallman in my devotions. This book is a collection of little meditations showing how God revealed himself to Moses and helping us to understand God's ultimate Holiness.

During today's particular devotion Smallman covered Exodus 34:12-16 in which God warns His people not to intermarry or worship the gods of the land they were to inhabit.

Smallman narrates by saying "There was a clear call for Israel to separate from those things that would pull them away from the Lord. They were also to build discipline into their daily lives that would continually renew their faith... The Lord was careful to show that separation from the world was not an end in itself. But it would allow His people to be separated unto Him so that they could enjoy the delights of being God's own treasured possession."

I found this to be very important because I feel like I am very 'separate' from the world - I grew up in a Christian family and know nothing else. I do not participate in the 'worldly' acts that are so common among people my age. However, living a moral and clean lifestyle is not 'an end in itself'. It is a good reminder to hear that not only am I called to be away from the world and it's sinful ways, but I am supposed to be separate unto God - for God. That is a completely different story.

In an effort to do this, we have the chance to understand what it means to be God's own treasured possessions (see Deuteronomy 7:6). Can you imagine how wonderful it must be to feel like a treasure possession especially to the creator of the universe?!

I John 2:6 says "Whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked."

Wow. No matter how hard we try, we will always fall short of this. However, the purpose of being separated unto Him means that we strive to do just that.