Holiness as Presence
Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself that they too may be truly sanctified.
Jesus uses the word holy very sparingly in the Gospels. On one occasion he quotes a rabbinic proverb, “Do not give what is holy to the dogs” (Matt. 7:6 NKJV), but other than that, until John 17 the only time he uses the word holy about anyone is when he refers to God the Father, God the Holy Spirit, or himself, God the Son.
Then, on the last night of his life, when he faces the Cross, knowing all that it means for him, he prays for his disciples, asking the Father to make them holy (John 17:17). For the first time the reader finds an indication that it is possible for human beings to share in the holiness of God.
When God puts his holiness into a human heart, it does not become a human possession. Rather, when the presence of God himself comes in and fills a person’s heart, it enables that person to share in God’s holy character.
It is possible for the Holy One to come and dwell in us so we begin to look like him. Does God’s presence fill your life?
—Dennis Kinlaw,
This Day with the Master
Jesus didn’t use the word holy lightly. Throughout His ministry, He reserved it for God—the Father, the Spirit, and Himself. But on the eve of His crucifixion, in John 17, He turns His gaze toward His disciples and prays something breathtaking: “Sanctify them by the truth… that they too may be truly sanctified.” In that moment, Jesus reveals something remarkable—that through Him, human beings can begin to share in the holiness of God. Not as something we own or achieve, but as something God fills us with. Holiness becomes less about perfection and more about presence. This kind of holiness doesn’t make us distant or rigid—it makes us look more like Jesus. It softens our hearts, strengthens our character, and draws us toward love, truth, and sacrifice. In treatment, we’re not just seeking healing—we’re being made new. And part of that renewal is God’s very presence shaping who we are from the inside out. So today, ask yourself: Does God’s presence fill your life? If not, invite Him in. And if so, dare to believe this astonishing truth: that by His grace, you are being made holy—set apart, not to withdraw from the world, but to be sent into it, looking more and more like Him. —DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics