Day 15 of the Fast of Daniel

When I walked into the Temple of Solomon for the first time, this phrase caught my attention. It was written on the Altar, just above the Ark of the Covenant, and it left me in such awe that I wasn’t able to hold back tears.

At first, the translation of this phrase may seem a bit obvious; however, God is never obvious! He will always surprise us.

The phrase “Holiness to the Lord” made me look within myself, and for several days, I questioned:

– What is this Holiness?

– How does this work in my day-to-day life?

– I don’t live in sin, so isn’t that holiness?
I asked myself these questions and wondered if I really knew the meaning and depth of the phrase that is written in the Temple of Solomon. And, the answer came to me…

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled. Hebrews 12.14-15

The highlighted words in this biblical passage are the key to the predominant phrase in the Temple of Solomon, and they work like this:

It is relatively easy to keep peace with everyone in church and remain in holiness, right? Well then, Holiness to the Lord does not begin within the four walls of a religious institution, or even within the Temple of Solomon. This HOLINESS begins when we turn our backs to the Altar to leave the church to go back to our daily life, because our upbringings, thoughts, desires, traditions and distractions serve as a block for this holiness in us. And, though you may have prayed and sought Him before the Altar, this holiness does not exist!

When there is not a daily effort to please God, there will also not be holiness. But I believe that above everything else, God desires holiness in our intentions, in our ideals, aspirations and plans. The lack of holiness allows the bad root of bitterness to grow, which separates us from God and brings us TROUBLE, eventually contaminating those around us too. Those who do not live in holiness, live in inner turmoil. How awful!

Definitely, the holiness God desires to see in our innermost being, where only He can see and beautiful words are not enough, isn’t only referring to being aware of sinful thoughts and rejecting what is explicitly evil, but the purification of our deepest intentions where no one sees. This is where the answer lies as to why you fight so much to conquer certain things.

Is the Holiness to the Lord the reason why you seek to receive the Holy Spirit? Is it to boast and speak in tongues, or to become a godly witness and spread His essence wherever you go?

Is the Holiness to the Lord the reason why you strive so hard to bring your family to Church? Is it so you can get rid of the problems they cause in your life, or to win them for the Kingdom of God?

Is the Holiness to the Lord the reason why you want to prosper? Is it for your own vanity, or to honor God and glorify His Name?

Are we working to be recognized by a man, or because we want to serve God?

This is Holiness to the Lord, it is the purity of my intentions!

Without this Holiness we cannot contemplate God!