Ready:
“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphim were standing above him; they each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Armies; his glory fills the whole earth.’” – Ésaïe 6:1-3
Set:
Coaches and athletes sometimes refer to God as “The Big Guy” or “The Big Man Upstairs.” This may seem relatively harmless, but does it accurately reflect who God is? Does it lead us to rightly understand how we relate to Him, view ourselves, and pursue our true purpose as competitors and in life?
In the Bible, God is regularly called “Holy One.” In Isaiah alone, God is referred to as the Holy One more than 25 times. When Isaiah encounters the Lord in chapter 6, the seraphim emphasize the Lord’s holiness: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Armies.” To be holy is to be set apart. God is set apart from His creation, exalted above all else. Far more than just “The Big Man Upstairs,” the Lord is awesome in His complete perfection.
God’s holiness leads us to relate to Him with deep humility. Isaiah’s initial response to the Lord is, “Woe is me for I am ruined because I am a man of unclean lips…” (Isaiah 6:5). He is immediately aware of his sin and lack of holiness. As a sinful man in the presence of the Holy One, Isaiah knows that he deserves to be punished for his sin. Instead, the Lord graciously cleanses him (v. 7).
Our sin likewise creates a barrier between us and the Holy One. But God came to us through His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life, causing Peter in John 6:69 to say to Him, “We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” Jesus then takes the penalty for our sin in our place through His death on the cross. When we surrender in faith to Him, He graciously cleanses us of our sin. We can now be in the presence of our Holy God. This compels us to come to Him with humility rather than with a flippant or utilitarian perspective.
Knowing our holy God also motivates us to pursue holiness in how we compete and live. 1 Peter 1:15 says, “But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct.” To be holy in all we do is to embrace being set apart by the Lord for His purposes. Rather than going along with what others around us do, we desire to compete and live according to Christ’s holy character. We pursue holiness because we know and are loved by the Holy One.
Go:
How does recognizing God’s holiness change how you think about and relate to God?
What does it look like to pursue holiness as an athlete or coach?
Workout:
Overtime:
“Holy God, I worship You because You are awesome and glorious. Thank You that You welcome me into Your presence because of what Christ accomplished. Please help me to grow in holiness in every part of my life. Amen.”