Oh! To Be Godly
By: Robert A. Searles
“But know that the Lord hath
set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I
call unto him. Psalm 4: 3 KJV).
What does it mean to be godly? To
be godly means to be somewhat like God. To take on some of the
characteristics of God. In the beginning God made man in his image,
to be like him, but because of sin, man fell, and has come short of
the likeness of God. But through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus
Christ on the cross, man has been redeemed and reconciled to God on
an individual basis, providing that the individual will accept it as
a free gift from God. “As many as received him, to them gave he
power (or authority) to become the sons of God, even to them that
believe on his name.” John 1: 12 (KJV) As a child of God, we are
in the family of God and godly.
When we are born again into the
family of God and become godly, then the Lord sets us apart from
every other creature. God puts upon us his shield of love and
protection, and we find ourselves in the favor of God. God gives us
special work and tasks to perform for his glory. He cleanses us on
the inside, and makes us a fit house or vessel in which he can live
and work. Since we are his special workmen, assigned a special job
for his glory, God will give us extra special attention when we call
unto him in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. “The Lord knoweth
how to deliver the godly out of temptation.....” 2 Peter 2: 9
(KJV).
Knowing that by grace we are saved
through faith, and having put on godliness by God's grace, and
knowing that we are God's special vessels for his honor, we ought to
stand in awe and sin not, We ought to come before God with such
reverence and respect that in his presence we would be speechless and
spellbound to behold his glory, if it were not for the fact that he
gives the privilege to come boldly before the throne of grace. When
we stand before God, we ought to take off our shoes, as it were,
because the place where we stand is holy ground. The family dinning
room becomes holy ground when the family is gathered to enjoy God's
bountiful blessing when we meet with God there, and the table becomes
a sacred altar when we offer our gratitude, and offer ourselves
before God. Our bed becomes a holy place when we lie upon it and
commune with God from our hearts in the long night
hours.
Because we have become the
children of God, and made godly in him, and because we are set apart
to receive his special favor; and because we are the recipients of
his great love and salvation; and because we are called out of the
world to perform special tasks for him; we ought to be more than
anxious to offer the sacrifice of righteousness, and die daily to
ourselves, and abandon ourselves completely to God , and put our
trust in him. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken
and contrite heart, O God thou wilt not despise.” Psalm 51: 17
(KJV). “By him therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to
God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his
name.” But to do well and to communicate forget not; for with such
sacrifices God is well pleased.” Hebrews 13: 15, 16. (KJV)
We should be continually praising
God with our lips. Open wide your mouth and let the words flow out
loud and clear from your heart: blessed be the name of the Lord;
praise God from whom all blessings flow; glory to God in the
highest. This is a sacrifice that God is pleased with – then, it
follows with good works and service.
