Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully.” vss. 3-4
Psalm 24
The psalmist had some high standards for those he adjudged to be fit for admission to the sanctuary of the Lord. His reasoning was logical. Since the Lord was the epitome of holiness, those who came into his presence should be known for the purity of their hearts and souls. While many of us are rightfully uncomfortable with that thinking (it doesn’t mesh well with our conviction that all are welcome at the Table of the Lord), it is important that we be reminded that behavior matters. Just because we acknowledge our own sin doesn’t mean we can throw holiness out the window. Words and actions do make a difference! Which makes our whole election process so difficult for people of faith! Most people arrive at their political positions through a lifetime of observations and experiences. We pretty much know whether we’re liberal or conservative or neither. But often we lament the choices that are forced upon us in an election. Sometimes we really question the holiness of the candidates and mistrust their truthfulness. We wonder if it really makes a difference if the words of our leaders are deceitful or misleading. It’s a hard decision–and some might even wonder what the psalmist would advise!
Thought for the Day: Is there any room for holiness in politics?
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