What it means to be holy

“Who is like you — majestic in holiness?…”

— Exodus 15:11 (NIV)

Each Sunday, many people across our nation attend church to worship God and learn more about him. Congregations gather to hear sermons that challenge our thinking and the choices we make.

The melodious music played by teams of musicians can stir our emotions to joyous ones over God’s mighty miracles and his holiness.

I remember one particular moment as a young girl, when I stood in my pew and sang the lyrics of my favorite hymn. However, as I sang the words “Holy, Holy, Holy” regarding God, I suddenly wondered what I was singing about. I’d heard and sang these words many times before, but this time was different. I pondered what the word “holy” really meant.

Part of our spiritual journey is to grow in understanding of the ways of God. By defining meanings of words from the Bible, it can enlighten our spiritual understanding and help us in our process for spiritual growth.

At this moment, you might be wondering what it means to be holy. Simply put, holiness means to be pure and without sin. God is the only one who can meet these requirements. But he invites us into a lifetime process of becoming holy.

This first happens through our faith in Jesus Christ. Then, for us to be holy signifies we have a heart that desires to please him and follow his example rather than our old sinful ways.

When our heart’s desires are right, we can begin to see positive changes in our thoughts and behaviors, and we can be guided into God’s purpose and plan for our lives.

• Annettee Budzban is a Christian author of the book “Letters To A Friend,” speaker, life and writing coach and nurse. She can be contacted at annetteebudzban@aol.com.