Leviticus 11:44-45 — For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.

Recently, I’ve been contemplating the challenges associated with the Christian life. Yesterday the command to be perfect was on my mind, today it’s the command to “Be Holy”.
As well as our Bible reading, Myra and I share a devotional every day. At present we’re reading Oswald Chambers’ “Devotions For A Deeper Life.” His focus today was on the idea of separating ourselves from everything that might stand between us and God.
Chambers was talking about the issue of personal separation. There’s more to it than that though. The Christian community is meant, in a sense, to be separate too. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “… as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.’ (2 Corinthians 6:16-18)
These are really interesting challenges — each Christian is to separate from things that might be a barrier between him (or her) self and God. Christian communities are to separate from the things of the world. At the same time, however, we are to be influences, both personally and as a community … “Ye are the salt of the earth”.
This business of being separated but influential, being “in the world but not of the world” needs planning, preparation and practice so that it becomes a habit. Here’s a little example … Myra was doing her quiet time today. The phone rang. What did she do? She was separated to her Father. The phone could ring. She had planned and prepared, in advance. She had practiced. Her reaction was habitual.
As I thought about this idea an odd thought came to me. It’s like oil and water — you know, the way oil will float on water, but not mix with it. I think that’s one way that I see the church — the holy oil floating on the muddied waters of society. Separated, but connected and maybe — just maybe having an influence.