hunger and Holiness


Hunger and Holiness


The word “holiness” often brings up images in my mind of people separating themselves from society. The monks secluded in their monastery, praying in isolation while the world passes them by. The jewish priest who can’t even sleep with his wife in the lead up to special events. The charismatic christian who won’t go to a colleagues party for fear of being corrupted by the world.

Although it can seem contradictory, the has lots to say about both being part of your community, and being set apart for God, so how do we work out which is for us?

I would like to propose that it’s both.

My framework for working out what to do in a situation like this uses the following three points:

  1. Your “why” is more important than your ‘what”

  2. Your “why” should be “because of love” (love God, then love others)

  3. The practical way of turning a “why” into a “what” is by hearing God’s voice and doing as He says.

So, using the example above, should you go to that party? I don’t know, examine it. What are your motives? Is it because you want to be accepted as part of the group, or because you can see a need for Jesus there (not a need for more preaching, a need for the one who can turn all situations to good). Finally, what does God say, and not just what he says because you’ve ‘convinced’ him your idea is better than his.

In order for our decision making to be closer to what God intends, lets look at some examples of what God has already said in his words: the Bible.


He illustrated the reality of heaven’s kingdom realm by saying, “There once was a king who arranged an extravagant wedding feast for his son…

 Now, when the king entered the banquet hall, he looked with glee over all his guests. But then he noticed a guest who was not wearing the wedding robe provided for him. So he said, ‘My friend, how is it that you’re here and you’re not wearing your wedding garment?’ But the man was speechless. “Then the king turned to his servants and said, ‘Tie him up and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be great sorrow, with weeping and grinding of teeth.’ For everyone is invited to enter in, but few respond in excellence.”

Matthew 22:2‭, ‬11‭-‬14 TPT


This story is a warning. It is set in time after this world had ended and the King (God) has invited as many as possible to join him and his son (Jesus) in a feast. Many turned away and wouldn’t come. This one man accepted the invitation (parallel for becoming a Christian), but thought his old clothes (parallel for old habits, old ways of thinking, old sins) were good enough rather than accepting the wedding robe provided for him by the King (parallel for holiness, living God’s way, hearing what God says and doing it).

Heaven is perfect, and only the perfect can enter it. This perfection isn’t something we can do for ourselves, it’s a gift from God, but it still requires us to do something to accept it. Without holiness, we just don’t fit in with God’s Kingdom, and can’t get close to Him.


“Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied.

Matthew 5:6 AMP


Matthew here is relating one of Jesus’ greatest sermons. At the start, Jesus is dealing with people's heart attitudes. God is promising a blessing of feeling satisfied by creating a hunger in themselves for holiness. 


So then, prepare your hearts and minds for action! Stay alert and fix your hope firmly on the marvelous grace that is coming to you. For when Jesus Christ is unveiled, a greater measure of grace will be released to you.

As God’s obedient children, never again shape your lives by the desires that you followed when you didn’t know better. Instead, shape your lives to become like the Holy One who called you. For Scripture says: “You are to be holy, because I am holy.”

1 Peter 1:13‭-‬16 TPT


Prepare for the future! A greater portion of grace is promised for us. Grace is the power to cut off the negative power of your past and also the power to enable you to live for the future.

This grace is released by changing your life to look like Jesus’. (1 Cor 11:1). 

Jesus was the perfect example of what it is to live a holy life. He was at times accused of partying, drinking and eating too much, so I suspect holiness doesn’t have to do with the absence of those things, but, once again, with the ‘why’.

Jesus also seemed to have a habit of regularly disappearing from groups of people in order to spend one on one time in prayer with God. I suspect that hearing God’s voice does have alot to do with holiness.


Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,

Hebrews 12:1 NIVUK


Did you know you have a heavenly cheer squad just waiting for you to make the right move? The things that hold you back are the things from your past that you haven’t let go of yet. As we saw above, grace has freed you from the power of those things, so let them go. They will only hold you back.


Who, then, ascends into the presence of the Lord? And who has the privilege of entering into God’s Holy Place? Those who are clean—whose works and ways are pure, whose hearts are true and sealed by the truth, those who never deceive, whose words are sure.

Psalms 24:3‭-‬4 TPT


Holiness is an attitude, and also the action that your attitude creates.


My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?

Psalms 42:2 NIVUK



Image: dimitrisvetsikas, pixabay

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