“Now set your mind and heart to seek the LORD your God.”
1 Chronicles 22:19
Spring is coming. Sunshine dispels the gray clouds of winter, buds begin to sprout on naked branches, flocks of migrated birds return to familiar nests, and heavy coats return to the back of our closets. Each lengthening day heralds the quickening of the new Season. It is the season of hope, new life, and new beginnings.
The brighter light of Spring allows us to more closely examine the damage done during the harsh days of winter. Our short drive from home to church provides a revealing look at the many branches broken and several tall trees that were brought low by the weight of freezing snow and ice.
Cracked, broken, and dead branches cover neighborhood yards. That’s to be expected; it’s the purging part of the renewal process. What is surprising is to see trees that last summer looked strong and healthy now broken in half exposing a hollow interior. The image the tree projected last summer didn’t give a true indication of the death and emptiness on the inside.
To be hollow is to have an unfilled space within, to be empty, and lacking in value, substance, or sincerity. (Thank you, Merriam-Webster!)
Have you ever known someone who on the outside looked like she (or he) had it all together spiritually? She talked a good game, did the right things, and always showed up at the right places. But when tough decisions had to be made, challenges faced, or spiritual battles fought, she crumbled. Totally fell apart.
She was empty and hollow inside.
Perhaps that someone was you.
Like the house on the sand that collapsed when the hard winds blew (Matt 7:26-28), the hollow person has no roots or firm foundation. The hollow person is easily tossed and torn by the storms of life.
The hollow person is like the rebellious people of Israel who spoke meaningless words supported by vain and empty oaths (Hos 10:4). The hollow person may say the right words but there is no intellectual agreement, heart-felt belief, or Spirit-led knowledge of the truth attached to the words that are spoken.
The hollow person is akin to the double-minded man referred to by James in the letter he wrote to the Jewish believers. The person lacking wisdom and prone to doubt God is unstable in all his ways (James 1:5-8). The meaning of “unstable” carries only undesirable traits for the believer – not steady in action or movement, apt to sway or topple over, easily changed or altered, or lacking emotional control.
Hollow. Empty. Lacking value. Without substance. Insincere. Unanchored. Unstable.
Hallow. A similar word. The spelling of the two words differs only in the first vowel – an “a” instead of an “o” in “hallow.” But in meaning the words are worlds apart.
“Hallow” is to make holy or set apart, to respect greatly, to venerate or give reverential respect or admiring deference, and to honor with an act of devotion.
No doubt you recall this word (hallowed) from the prayer that Jesus taught His disciples:
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…” Matthew 6:9 ESV
When Jesus instructed His disciples to pray and gave us His model for prayer, He used the word “hallowed.” In essence, He instructed the disciples and us to honor God Our Father as the most holy, most beautiful, most sacred, and most worthy in every way, and to acknowledge God as the One to be revered above all else.
The Greek word translated “hallowed” in Matthew 9 is translated “sanctify” and “be holy” in other passages.
The Apostle Paul uses the word in 1 Corinthians 6:11, “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” ESV
The writer of Hebrews also employs the word in these two verses: “And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all….For by a single offering [Jesus Christ] He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” Hebrews 10:10, 14 ESV
One last Scripture, “…As He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16 ESV
Friend, we are called to be holy as He is holy. At best, even in our saved state, our holiness is imperfect. It continues to be perfected as the Holy Spirit leads and does the transforming work of sanctification in all areas of our lives. But now – even though we are still “works in progress” – when God looks upon us, He sees us covered by Jesus Christ, washed clean in our Savior’s blood, and made righteous and holy to stand before the Father.
We are to be “hallowed.”
Not in the same sense that God is hallowed, He is above all in every sense of the word. But we can be a reflection of His holiness.
Positionally, this is all made possible through our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Practically, this requires our participation, our obedience, and our willingness to reject the “hollow” displayed by the world, designed by Satan, and desired by our flesh. We must actively pursue “the hallowed.”
– Think on the things of God; meditate on His hallowedness and holiness.
“Now set your mind and heart to seek the LORD your God.”
1 Chronicles 22:19 ESV
– Fill your mind with God’s Word – let it saturate your being and stand guard over your heart.
“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
Psalm 119:11 ESV
– Stand firm and steadfast, rooted in His Truth so that you can daily grow and mature in your faith and joyfully participate in the sanctification process that God’s Holy Spirit is working in you.
“And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
James 1:4 ESV
Commit heart, mind, body, and spirit to live out a holy and hallowed life in the power of Him who is hallowed above all.
Live hallowed, not hollow.
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus….”
Philippians 2:5