God placed a thought in my mind and heart that I can’t shake. I was reading in Exodus where the people were carrying out the commands God had given them concerning the Tabernacle and the ordination of the priests. In Exodus 39, it was describing the clothing that Aaron and his sons were to wear. I won’t go into all the details, but this one particular part jumped off the page at me.
“They made the plate, the sacred emblem,
out of pure gold and engraved on it,
like an inscription on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD.
Then they fastened a blue cord to it to attach it to
the turban, as the LORD commanded Moses.”
(Exodus 39:30-31)
Did you catch that? God commanded that a plate with the inscription “HOLY TO THE LORD“ be worn on the turban they had wrapped around their heads. That showed to the people that the priests had been set-apart for service to God. They’d been consecrated and called to serve a holy God. They were to be holy because the God they were serving is holy.
Now here’s where God began to bring it home to me. He laid a question on my heart.
“Would I behave differently, if I was commanded to wear
a plate on my head proclaiming ‘HOLY TO THE LORD’?”
Then the Spirit brought to mind these questions to consider.
- Would I still be impatient at that red light...if I’m wearing “HOLY TO THE LORD”?
- Would I still scowl at that person I just passed because he was driving too slowly…if I’m wearing “HOLY TO THE LORD”?
- Would I still show my aggravation at the person in line in front of me at the grocery store who didn’t “follow the rule” of 20 items or less…if I’m wearing “HOLY TO THE LORD”?
- Would I still be short tempered with that annoying person at work…if I’m wearing “HOLY TO THE LORD”?
- Would I still sigh LOUDLY at that person in church who can’t seem to make their child be quiet...if I’m wearing “HOLY TO THE LORD”?
- Would I still show my annoyance to the parking crew in the lot at church…if I’m wearing “HOLY TO THE LORD”?
Man, the way that my walk and my talk don’t align sometimes made me glad that I wasn’t a priest in those times. How embarrassing it would be when I behave badly around people, to then see their eyes creep up to my “plate”, and the thought register in their minds “wow, I wouldn’t have known you belonged to God if it wasn’t for that sign on your hat…” (can you say OUCH?!)
Yup! I’m sure glad I wasn’t a priest back then.
That’s when the Spirit reminded me that 1 Peter 2:9-10 says “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”
As a believer I am part of a “priesthood”, and as part of that “priesthood”, God commands me “But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy“ (1 Peter 1:15-16). In all I do, in all I say, in all I think, in all I feel, in all I listen to, in all I read, in all I watch…in ALL of life, I am to be holy.
Just like the priests back then were representatives for God to the people, I am God’s representative to a world living without Christ. While God doesn’t command me today to wear a plate on my head proclaiming “HOLY TO THE LORD”, I’m to live my life in such a way that proclaims “HOLY TO THE LORD”.
I’m to live my life in such a way that proclaims “HOLY TO THE LORD”.
So, do I live that way?? Would I be embarrassed if God told me to wear that plate on my head?? Do my actions back up what I proclaim to believe??
I was definitely convicted by that thought. My heart’s desire is to live to bring glory, not disgrace, to the name of my Lord. My prayer is that God would keep this question fresh in my mind…
Would I continue to live like I do, if God commanded me to wear a plate on my head that says “HOLY TO THE LORD” for all the world to see?