My Deceitful Heart

How do we offer praise with such a word as, “Holy"?  

From my experience it is by knowing, with personal examples, how far we have missed the mark.  From our cry of defeat, we better understand what we are saying when we sing unto the Lord as we call Him, "Holy."  

Think of this... what would you be saying if you called someone ‘cute’ without giving thought to how you have packaged such a statement; how you stacked up examples or took into account from some source to give this word great worth and meaning.  How many times, guilty as charged, are we of speaking with little thought to what we are declaring.  But to take into account all your judgments and past experience, declaring one cute gives a level of worth, from your standards, when spoken.  With God, who is Holy, and of such that angels do not stop declaring this level of worth 24/7, we come to join the worship; and if I bring Him 'me' and not someone else, I can release from my heart a great or small praise according to my own life shown me. 

Let me give an example from my own experience.  Today I was given a call from a scam artist.  It is in my job description to handle these calls as all businesses receive those who want to get into the budget, whether we want or not.  He is most pleasant on the phone as anyone; giving me information he wants me to believe important and greatly helpful.  I knew, almost immediately, he was not looking to my good but entirely to his own, for deception came from his first statements.  Telling me a price change is in effect to something we do not even purchase, from a company we have contract with but do not buy supplies from.  His attempts to be helpful yet deceitful, was met just as quickly by my own deceitful heart to try to trip him up and reveal something that I could hold against him; corner him into a tumbling crash over his evil heart.  Kindness was flying back and forth between us like we sincerely wished the other the riches of the day.  Until he crashed, raising his voice, saying a word inappropriate to any business call and slamming his phone down.  I sit in shock.  It was a new scam, new boldness; and I fell right into its battle as I gave in to my anger, kindle by my own righteous verdict for 'I knew this was a scam...!'  He must be exposed and see I know...! 

I repented right then and asked God, “How could I have reached him instead of such a crash for us both?”  I felt so defeated.  I had no information I could use against him nor had I attempted any sort of effort to lead him to a correction as the sweet Holy Spirit does me.  This is when I was gently guided to see how I had warred deceit against deceit and in the eyes of a loving Father, we just drank one another’s vomit. 

How does this apply to giving God praise by declaring Him Holy?

By my repenting heart God’s kindness gave me, I was led to the understanding I have repeatedly been engaged in many times  …. on the same side as my defender.  Even greater do I realize my own inability to save myself but to come daily to His grace, moment by moment, choosing to accept His love and be moved by His Holiness and not my own.  His unfailing kindness, pure heart, and motive for my life to be abundant, not wanting me to be taken by my own deceit, nor another's deception, He shows me holiness.  A step deeper, having knowledge, as I place this praise before Him, "You are Holy."

To understand He is the ONLY ONE Holy is to get that we are not.  And yet, He dwells within and we are led to holiness as we see what it truly is and become the same through Him.  What a fascinating God.