The Divisions Of Life

Learning to separate the profane from the mundane and the mundane from the holy... The Bible teaches us many things; well, actually, God's goal is to have it teach us all things. However, what we'll focus on today is the way the Lord would have us keep an order to our lives so that we can properly walk in His presence. Many people today, or should I say many believers today since that is who we are focusing on, seem to have lost either the ability or the will to draw boundaries between space and time. What do I mean by that strange comment? Well, the Lord has gone to great lengths in scripture to teach us about what is pure and what is impure; He places a great emphasis on our learning to differentiate holy from unholy. And, He does so for a reason. He wants us to prepare a place and a time of holiness in our lives suitable for Him to dwell in so that He can commune with us! Yes, most believers know about the need to abstain from the profane at all times; After all, we all know better than to 'cuss' in church, or to smoke in prayer meetings. We even know not to 'key' our neighbors' cars on purpose. In other words, we are fairly astute at being able to recognize and cut off that which is evil and profane. But, where the line seems to be blurred is in separating the mundane from the holy. The word 'holy', in its simplest meaning, is that which is specially set apart. Please let me explain. When the unique and tangible presence of God is sought there is no room for the mundane to be present. God is Holy, and our thoughts, words, actions, and expectations need to be holy and centered around those things which are holy and pure in order for us to enter into His presence and for Him to enter ours. As mentioned, this isn't the 'simple' matter of leaving the things evil and profane behind us, it is the matter of stepping out of the everyday and into a time and place of sanctity unto the Lord so He can be made welcome in our midst. That requires leaving the everyday 'normal' things out of our conversations, actions, and thoughts while we seek Him. One of the main things which causes the blurring of lines between the mundane and the holy to occur in our lives is man's natural tendency to think in terms of equality and balance in all things. Believers enthused by the things of God have always been willing and able to saturate the normal mundane things and conversations in their everyday lives with words and actions which are holy and uplifting of God, and rightly so. The holy things should encroach upon and overtake the everyday matters, but the mundane is not created to encroach upon the holy! It is an inferior element which is meant to exist in subordination to the superior. The mundane must become saturated by the holy in order for it to become holy itself. However, it must not enter into the holy things or times lest it defile and denigrate that which is set apart by causing the holy to not be 'unique' anymore. Discussing a sale at the grocery store isn't sinful or profane, doing a business deal is not inherently objectionable, and making your child's first steps known to all is actually a very admirable thing. However, these are mundane things because they focus on subjects other than God; they are everyday issues which all too often can, and do, take our focus away from He who is Holy. And, that is where we disconnect with His Spirit at just the times when it is His Spirit we are supposed to be seeking. Whether in a communal setting of believers or in a 'prayer time' of our own we need to make sure that the mundane doesn't slip in to the time and space set aside for that which is set apart (holy). And, we must seek to make sure that the mundane things of life don't enter into our hearts to subtly pollute that which is meant as the abode of God's Spirit. If you value an increased presence of God upon your life then you must set your parameters firmly and guard your boundaries, for they are really His. Learn to separate the profane from the mundane, and the mundane from the holy. It is only when we truly do so that haRuach (The Holy Spirit) can and will come nigh unto us to glorify Yeshua our Lord! "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew [it] unto you." John 16:13-14