The Beauty of Holiness

Wholly His: Holiness from the Heart

Only Holiness Leads to Happiness

“Acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought.” — 1 Chronicles 28:9

When David entrusted Solomon with the sacred task of building the temple, his instruction was simple yet profound: serve God with whole hearts and willing minds. True holiness begins not with outward performance, but with the inward posture of our hearts before the Lord.

Psalm 93 declares that “holiness adorns your house for endless days” (v.5). Holiness is God’s beauty—the hallmark of His dwelling place. Alexander Maclaren observed, “Holiness is the central attribute of God, and all His other perfections gather around it like a king’s court.” To serve Him wholeheartedly is to reflect His very nature.

Paul’s words to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 5 remind us that holiness must be guarded. Unrepentant sin, left unchecked, can corrode the health of the whole community: “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough” (v.6). John Stott wrote, “The church is called to be holy because it belongs to the Holy One; holiness is both its identity and its mission.”

J.B. Lightfoot adds that holiness is far more than a moral checklist—it is “a life suffused with the presence of God, bringing every thought into captivity to His will.” David’s charge to Solomon went far beyond building plans; it was an invitation to live undivided lives—where our public, private, and secret selves all belong wholly to God.

Holiness and joy meet when our devotion is wholehearted and our obedience willing. Holiness is God’s gift and our calling, and when we embrace it, we become His dwelling place and reflect His beauty. This is not about rigid rule-keeping, but about Spirit-led transformation, where our desires align with His. It flows from love, not fear—from gratitude, not compulsion.

When we surrender not just our actions, but our motives, thoughts, and hidden lives, we find the freedom of living with integrity before Him. Such lives draw others toward the radiance of His holiness and the abundance of His joy. True holiness doesn’t diminish delight—it deepens it, rooting our joy in what can never be lost. Even now, we taste the joy that will be made complete in God’s eternal presence. In every season, our highest privilege remains the same: to be wholly His.

Prayer:

Lord, help us to serve You with wholehearted devotion and willing minds. Search our hearts, purify our motives, and make our lives temples where Your holiness is clearly seen. Amen.