I am the Lord. I brought you out of Egypt to be your God. Be holy because I am holy.
Leviticus 11:45
Seven times in the book of Leviticus God commands us to be holy because he is holy (see Lev. 11:44, 45; 19:2; 20:7, 26; 21:8; 22:32). Holiness isn’t something to be watched from a distance. It isn’t an unreachable goal or one that you’re allowed to avoid because of the abundance of kindness poured out on you. God’s kindness isn’t something that excuses you from holiness but something that helps you get holiness. Kindness, or grace, shouldn’t be reserved for the occasional offense, but it should be accepted as the very hand of God on your life, giving you the ability to do what is holy instead of being a slave to sin. The kindness of God brings mercy and forgiveness, but just as importantly, it brings his help. You can’t live a holy life without the Holy Spirit on your side. And it is through the help of that Spirit that you have the ability to do what God commands to be holy. If holiness feels like a totally unattainable goal, it’s because you’ve tried to get there in your own power. Holiness can’t be attained by the flesh. No act of strength can muster it. But you can willingly reach out and accept the gift of God’s kindness and his Holy Spirit, and through that gift you then can get the strength and ability to be holy.
The God Girl can’t dismiss the idea of holiness as an unattainable goal, one that is better ignored than pursued because of her inability to be perfect. Holiness is yours for the taking, God Girl, and you can start taking it today if you are willing to trust that God will be your strength and that it’s not through your own power but through his Holy Spirit that you can become holy.