Desperate for Holiness: Embracing the Means of Grace in our Pursuit of God

Lord, Make Us Diligent and Desperate

Have you ever felt a burning desire in your heart to be holy? To be made as holy as a pardoned sinner can be made? This longing, often found on the lips of Robert Murray McCheyne, resonates with every Christian soul. When the Holy Spirit takes residence within us, holiness transforms from a burdensome obligation into a heavenly longing. Suddenly, holiness becomes the very essence of our being, and all our earthly desires bow before this fervent plea: "Lord, make me holy."

As we embark on a new year, we may wonder how the Holy Spirit will fulfill this deep yearning within us. While the answer may not be surprising, it is easily forgotten and neglected. To make us holy, the Spirit leads us on the pathways of Scripture, prayer, and the other means of grace. Along this journey, the Holy Spirit shapes our posture to align with two fundamental truths:

Holiness and the Means of Grace

The pursuit of holiness cannot be separated from the Spirit's means of grace. Therefore, we must be diligent in our use of these means. What are these means of grace, you may ask? They are the channels through which the Holy Spirit imparts his transformative power to our lives. They include:

• Scripture: The Word of God is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105). It is through Scripture that the Holy Spirit reveals God's will and teaches us how to live a holy life. By immersing ourselves in the Word, we allow the Spirit to shape our thoughts, actions, and desires according to God's truth.


• Prayer: Prayer is the lifeline of our relationship with God. It is through prayer that we commune with our Heavenly Father, pouring out our hearts and seeking His presence. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us and empowers our prayers, aligning them with God's will and transforming our hearts in the process.


• Worship: Gathering with fellow believers to worship God is a vital means of grace. As we lift our voices in praise, the Holy Spirit stirs our hearts and draws us closer to the Lord. Through worship, we experience the presence of God and are transformed by His glory.


• Sacraments: Baptism and the Lord's Supper are tangible signs of God's grace and instruments of His sanctifying work in our lives. In baptism, the Holy Spirit unites us with Christ and cleanses us from sin. In the Lord's Supper, we partake of the body and blood of Christ, nourishing our souls and deepening our union with Him.


• Fellowship: The Holy Spirit works through the community of believers to encourage, exhort, and challenge us in our pursuit of holiness. As we gather with other Christians, we share in each other's joys and burdens, spurring one another on towards love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24-25).

These means of grace are not mere religious rituals or empty practices. They are the very avenues through which the Holy Spirit imparts His transforming power to our lives. Therefore, we must be diligent in our use of them, not treating them as optional or secondary. Just as a thirsty traveler must drink from a well to quench their thirst, so must we regularly partake of the means of grace to experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit's sanctifying work.

Looking Beyond the Means

While the means of grace are indispensable in our pursuit of holiness, it is important to remember that holiness is not found in the means themselves. We are not made holy by simply going through the motions of reading Scripture, praying, or participating in worship. Holiness flows from the work of the Holy Spirit within us, as He applies the truths of Scripture to our hearts, empowers our prayers, and reveals the glory of God in our worship.

It is easy to fall into the trap of relying solely on the external actions of spiritual disciplines, neglecting the inner transformation that the Holy Spirit desires to bring about. We must guard against a mechanical approach to holiness and instead cultivate a desperate dependence on the Holy Spirit. We need the Spirit's power to breathe life into our spiritual practices and to make them fruitful and effective.

Imagine a person trying to start a fire by rubbing two sticks together. Without the spark of the Holy Spirit, their efforts would be in vain. But when the Spirit ignites the fire within, the sticks become the means through which the flames spread and bring warmth and light. In the same way, the means of grace become channels of the Spirit's power when we approach them with a desperate dependence on Him.

Therefore, as we embark on this new year, let us not only be diligent in the use of the means of grace but also be desperate for the Holy Spirit's work within us. Let us approach Scripture, prayer, worship, sacraments, and fellowship with a hunger and thirst for the Spirit's transforming power. Let us surrender our self-reliance and instead rely on the Spirit's strength to make us holy.

A Prayer for Holiness

As we enter into this new year, let us pray with fervor:

Lord, make us as holy as a pardoned sinner can be made. Fill us with a burning desire for holiness that cannot be quenched. Help us to be diligent in the use of the means of grace, knowing that it is through them that Your Spirit works. And at the same time, Lord, we acknowledge that true holiness flows from Your Spirit alone. We surrender our self-effort and rely on Your strength to transform us from the inside out. Make us desperate for Your work within us, that we may reflect Your glory to the world. In Jesus' name, amen.

May this be our prayer and our posture as we journey through this new year, seeking after holiness with diligence and desperation, knowing that it is the Holy Spirit who makes us holy.