Is Goofy a cow or a dog? Pluto is clearly a dog, so Goofy had to be something else, right? Long ears. Odd nostrils. A girlfriend who looked like a cow (no offense). You probably have a strong opinion on what Goofy is. And once you pick your side, no one’s talking you out of it.
We sometimes cling to ideas just because they fit a familiar category.
And we often do the same thing with God.
We assume His anger works like ours. His timing works like ours. His love works like ours. We shrink Him down to the size of our expectations and emotions. Scripture uses human language to describe Him because we need a starting point to grasp a God who is completely other.
That’s why the Bible calls God holy. Not just morally perfect, but set apart. Different. Beyond our categories. Uncontainable. Whenever we try to shape Him into our image, we lose sight of His holiness. And when God becomes small in our eyes, our discipleship shrinks right along with Him.
But when we let Scripture reveal Him as He truly is, something shifts. We begin to see a God who is bigger than galaxies yet near enough to listen. Beyond our control yet closer than our breath. Incomparably powerful yet gentle with His people. A God too holy to be contained, yet gracious enough to be known.
And this changes how we see our own holiness. We are set apart not because we are impressive, but because we belong to a God who is.
Read: Isaiah 55:8–9; 1 Peter 1:15–16
Isaiah 55:8-9 —
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
1 Peter 1:15-16 —
15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
Reflect: Where do you think you tend to shrink God down into your own expectations?
Based on the sermon, “His Name is Holy” by guest speaker Pastor Henry Allen
