Holy, Wholly, Holey!!

No, I haven't made a lot of typing errors in the first line of that great Trinitarian hymn!! However, as those who know me well are aware, I love words! I love speaking them; I love writing them; I love reading them. And I love "playing with" words!


The three words in the title of this post all sound the same - but there are three totally different spellings, and meanings. Yet I want to suggest that they each say something important to the follower of Jesus, as each one may be accurately followed by the words "unto the Lord".


1. Holy unto the Lord
This reminds the disciple of Jesus that (s)he is totally different. That's what the word 'holy' means. It's not that, as a Christian, I am automatically better than other people (although I should always aim to be the best that I can be), but that I am different. "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." wrote the American author, Henry David Thoreau (Walden, Conclusion, 1854). The Christian is one who should certainly be marching to the beat of a different drum - he is holy unto the Lord. That's why Peter makes clear that disciples of Jesus "... like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.(I Peter 2:5).

2. Wholly unto the Lord
This, to me, suggests total commitment - giving myself, completely, in the Lord's service. Of course, service isn't a particularly popular concept in the so-called civilised world of today. Our elected politicians are meant to serve their constituents; and ministers of state ahould be administering government in such a way as to best serve the people. Yet what I see, at least in the UK, are far too many who are out for what they can get, and who seek only to follow the "party line"! Jesus gave us the perfect example: "For even the Son of Man came, not to be served, but to serve others, and to give His life as a ransom for many." (Matt.20:28)

3. Holey unto the Lord
This word has to do with - yes, holes! So a sieve, or a colander, is a holey item. So are my socks, sometimes, if my dear wife doesn't see them before I put them on!! But how can that possibly relate to the Christian life? Well, it occurs to me that it has to do with being totally transparent. Some of us are so good at hiding our true feelings; our hopes; our desires. People are never quite certain that what they see is what they'll get. But if I am a true follower of Jesus, then I should be as transparent in all of my doings as He was, when He walked on this earth.

Totally different; totally committed; totally transparent. If we seek to be all of those, then we will become such a force for God that it will be said of us, as it was of the early believers, that these are they "who have turned the world upside-down" (or should not that be "right side up"?!).