Day One: Set Apart for God's Honor

READ

Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” Mark 7:1–8

Read also Leviticus 11:44–45; Isaiah 29:13; John 4:23; Colossians 3:17.

REFLECT

To be set apart means to be different or uncommon. People usually have different reasons, motivations, and perspectives on being set apart. Some may want to stand above the rest and be recognized as the best in a certain field or career, while others may want to be considered unique.

As believers, our ultimate goal and motivation for being set apart is to honor God with our lives. To honor or to glorify means to give value and weight to something or someone. To honor God then means to give value and reverence to God in every aspect and area of our lives. Because God is holy, He wants us to be holy and consecrated to Him (Leviticus 11:44).

How are we set apart for God’s honor? In Mark 7, the Pharisees ask Jesus a question in order to trap Him. From Jesus’ answer, we are given an idea on what it means to truly honor God. Jesus tells them that people try to honor God with their words, yet not with their hearts. They attempt to honor God with lip service alone, but their hearts are far from Him. To truly honor God, we should wholeheartedly seek Him and His will for us. We ought to seek to have a genuine, intimate, and intentional relationship with Him.

Furthermore, Jesus tells them that people worship God in vain, only doing so with empty rituals and hollow attempts to obey the law. While these rituals and traditions matter, the Pharisees missed the importance and heart behind it all: to honor and glorify God. We honor God in our words and actions when we worship Him in spirit and truth, recognizing Him for who He truly is (John 4:23). We also worship God by following His commands. We live not for men, but for God. Everything that we do, we do to honor God and follow Him, making disciples on our campuses, in our communities, and in every nation.

RESPOND

• Do you have a healthy relationship with God? What areas of your life need to be aligned to His word and lived out for His honor?
• Take some time to check the motivations of your heart. Why do you do what you do? Would you say it is only to fulfill your selfish desires, or is it to honor God?

Faith Step

Surrender the areas in your life that do not currently honor Him. Ask Him to work in you and trust Him to work through you.

PRAY

We ask You, Holy Spirit, to point out areas in our hearts that need to be surrendered to You. May we have a deeper understanding of Your word to obey and honor You in everything. We pray that our hearts would be deeply connected to You as we grow in our relationship with You. May we encounter You every day and reflect Your life and grace to everyone we meet.

In Jesus’ name, amen.