Our Comprehension of Holiness

I think our culture has a holiness problem.

One of the central facets of what it means to be holy is to be "set apart." I my estimation, however, we have a lot trouble believing that anything could or should be wholly holy, that is, wholly set apart for God, wholly consecrated for God.

One of our local retirement homes is undergoing some extensive renovations. Other pastors and I (as well as, I imagine, quite a few residents) were horrified when what was the chapel, a place "set apart" for God and for worship of God, was quickly turned into a rec room, complete with pool table, computer, board games, etc. [To be fair, this turned out to be temporary, but that was not clear when renovations began.]

But the renovations were not the problem. The problem preceded the renovations and follows them, even as the chapel is rededicated. You see, before it was a rec room, because of its central location, it was also the default empty wheelchair garage. From a practical standpoint, this is understandable: it is in a central location; many residents temporarily need wheelchairs from time to time. From a theological standpoint, it speaks to our problem with holiness. "No space should we be wholly holy" we declare with our actions.

Fortunately we have a God who takes up residence, takes up space in this world in the flesh of Jesus of Nazareth. Fortunately he continues his "taking up space" through the Holy Spirit in the Church, of which he is the head. The central question for us is: Do we believe this? Do we buy it?

It is my estimation that we cannot even truly begin to sing, "Take my life and let it be, consecrated Lord to thee" if we cannot set apart simple spaces and times exclusively for God.