Experiencing God’s Holiness

Isaiah 29:13-14 says, “… ‘Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men…” (ESV). This verse caused me to pause because it appears as if it is speaking concerning a lack of a true experience of God. We cannot just academically teach the fear of the Lord. It is something that must be personally experienced. God Himself must be encountered by us, His creation, for us to truly begin to know Him and to have a proper and holy fear of Him.

If our hearts are not engaged in our experiences and life with the Lord, but rather are distant in our time before Him, then our relationship with Him will stagnate and die away. Further, the fear of the Lord is also a command by God and from God Himself, not from men. We cannot make obedience a legalistic, man-enforced behavior. Rather, it has to flow naturally from an individual, personal desire to know God, our Creator, Father, and Redeemer, more intimately.

As we draw near to God, He is faithful to draw near to us. When we honestly seek Him and ask for more of Him, He delightfully gives of Himself to us because He loves us. This is what He desires of us – to come to Him. Here, in this place of intimacy before Him, we will truly begin to understand His perfect holiness. It will be an authentic understanding of Him that leads to true wisdom.

As Isaiah writes further on, prophesying that God will one day again reveal Himself to Israel and do miraculous works through them, “…the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden” (29:14b). In light of God’s holiness, the jaded discernment of this world will fail, and the perfect wisdom of the Lord will continue to prevail. Therefore, seek Him in His holiness and wisdom.

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Father, make the wisdom of man foolishness, and exalt Your name in our lives and over all the earth.