September 2023
The following is a possible framework for the Witnessing of the Word. It can be personalised or altered: its purpose is to serve as an example of how this Saying might be used primarily in the context of a Prayer Group, but it may be used by individuals too. It is not intended to be definitive. In the context of a group: the periods of silence should be appropriate for your group - probably not less than 5 minutes, or more than 15 minutes.
Saying for the month: ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy’. Leviticus 19:2 (NIV). In your time of contemplation, you may like to shorten this to ‘You shall be holy’.
To begin the exercise, first spend a short while in relaxation and preparing to be still; you may want to relax your way through your muscles or you may find it helpful to become aware of the sounds around you and then put them aside as you offer this time of prayer to God.
Say this introductory invitation to prayer, then keep a further minute or two of silence: ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11.28).
Introduction to the first silence - a preparation for listening with the mind:
‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy’.
A rabbi once said that you could throw out the whole book of Leviticus and the rituals and keep only chapter 19. Ch19 v2 demonstrates the one clear theme summed up by September’s Saying: ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy’. This invitation to holiness arises from God’s loving grace towards His people. To a modern reader, the pages and pages of instructions in Leviticus given to Moses to pass on to the people may seem arcane and obscure. Some may even seem petty, for example, see ch19 v27 about hairstyles! Some of the Book’s other suggestions though are practical and kind, especially read with ageing eyes. For example, there is such beauty and wisdom in the words ‘Rise before the aged and defer to the old’ (Leviticus 19: 32).
Rituals and rules like those of Leviticus, aren’t usually meant to be an end in themselves. As sacrifices were performed according to the law day after day, year on year, Israel was constantly reminded of sin cutting them off from God’s presence. The concept of sacrifice began to be understood. God here demands holiness in His people, a moral holiness perhaps hitherto absent from those worshipping the other gods of the nations around and about those parts. Against this dark back cloth, the morality and religion of Israel could shine like a star.
The ultimate purpose of all these regulations, events and teaching was the wellbeing of God’s people. God’s aim is clear in Leviticus 26: 12-13: ‘I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt ... I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high’.
This message of love, given early on in the history of the people of Israel, had to be repeated over and over again. By the time of Amos the prophet when the economy was booming, the rich were getting richer and the poor poorer; common practice was in direct contravention of the law set out in ch.19. The poor and needy were being trampled on, cheated and bought and sold (Amos 8: 4-6). God’s commandments were being forgotten. In this context, we can see why Chapter 19 of Leviticus ends with these words: ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt. Keep all my decrees and all my laws and follow them. I am the Lord’.
We take this Saying into our minds, allowing the saying to speak to us: ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy’.
A time is now kept for silence of the mind – perhaps between 5 and 15 minutes. The silence concludes with a short thanksgiving, and/or feel free to repeat the Saying.
The first silence ends with the words: Father, we thank you for the gift of your Word.
Introduction to the second silence - a preparation for listening with the heart:
‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy’.
While we often see the book of Leviticus as a book of rules, without its message the key event of all time, i.e. the death of Jesus, would be an enigma. Leviticus is vital for our understanding of Christ’s life and work, and how we as Christians may live in a pluralistic and unbelieving world.
Lev 19 v2 stands at the heart of the moral law for Jew and Christian alike. In 1 Peter 1: 15-16 we find the instruction repeated: ‘just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy” ’. So we have to ask ourselves what it means for us today? Are our priorities the same as God’s?
Holiness, writes Derek Tidball, is about the whole of life. The contemporary church often measures holiness by sexual purity, but pious Christians who neglect the poor, or have broken relationships with their parents, or who engage in exploitive business practices, or who lack love for their neighbours are not holy in God’s book.
Ask yourself today (and perhaps every day) then: what do I think holiness means for me? What really matters in God’s eyes? We can, as Matthew 7 suggests, be so quick to point the finger and fail to see the mote in our own eyes. In these days of turmoil the world over, how much do we care about justice for example? Can we get so tied up with discussing personal morality that we stop caring about injustice and unjust practices in the world around us? Obsessed with ourselves, could we become contemptuous of those with different struggles to our own?
Loving our neighbours as ourselves illustrates a holy lifestyle. Holiness isn’t confined to the way we behave in church, but is demonstrated by the way we behave in the market place, courtroom, at home, and in the community as well. Being holy involves every bit of our lives.
As nations, how do we measure up? As voters, it is said that we elect the government we deserve! Do we need to evaluate our commitment or lack of commitment to the good of all who live on our shores? Do we care? If we do, does it show?
The call to holiness may elicit a different response from each individual, but together we may be able to work our way to bring about change, to demonstrate compassion, to shine light in dark places, and, as God’s holy people, impact not just our surroundings but the wider world.
As partakers in the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2: 9) may we proclaim the mighty acts of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvellous light, as well as bearing one another’s burdens, in this way fulfilling the law of Christ (Galatians 6: 2).
Now we take this word into our hearts, as we allow Jesus’ words to speak in us, to let it touch us and let it work more deeply upon our lives.
A time is now kept for silence of the heart – perhaps between 5 and 15 minutes.
The second silence ends with the words: Father, we thank you that your Word is alive and within us.
Introduction to the time of intercession – taking God’s word outwards into the world.
‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy’.
Our saying can be prayed over the rich and the powerful in every nation. It can be spoken over the corrupt and greedy in positions of leadership.
Our churches need reminding of the message as the focus of church councils can so easily sway towards maintenance of buildings, fund raising etc etc.
Individual Christians need to hear again their need to consider their lifestyles. We all need to remember that consumerism affects us all. Young people need the challenge of their call to march to the beat of a different drum. The old can have the opportunity to reassess their priorities towards the end of their lives. Those of evil intent, rich or poor, need the chance to respond to the possibility of change.
Everyone, everywhere, deserves to hear and have the chance to respond to God’s words.
September’s Saying from Leviticus 19 reminds us of God’s special call to holiness for each of us. Our personal prayerful response to His words will, by His grace, change us and His world for the better. Now let us name, together, anyone whose needs are brought by God into our thoughts at this time.
Say the name of a person or a group of people, and after a short pause, repeat the saying. For example:
'Alison and your family … “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy” ' OR ‘Alison ... You shall be holy’.
As we allow the word to speak through us we might direct Jesus’ word towards those people and situations where there is suffering, hurt and an absence of joy and where abiding in Christ would bring comfort. Conclude this time of intercession with words of thanksgiving: Father, we thank you that your Word has gone out through us to those for whom we pray.
The Conclusion
Feel free to use the Fellowship Prayer (below) or another closing prayer to conclude your time of contemplative prayer:
Loving Heavenly Father, we thank you for all your unsearchable riches which pour forth from you as light from the sun, in boundless profusion and generosity, whether received, ignored or rejected. And now we offer to you, in so far as we are able, as an emptiness to be filled with your divine fullness, ourselves, our souls and bodies; all that we are, all that we have and all that we do. Amen
You may wish to say the Grace together before departing.