Daily Formation
7 Consecrate yourselves and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. 8 Keep my statutes and do them; I am the Lord who sets you apart. Leviticus 20:7-8
At FUGE Camps, students and adults who attend camp are given a name tag on opening day that includes their name, church name, and group assignments. One of our camp rules is for everyone to wear their name tag at all times. While part of the reason for this rule is safety, the other is for identification. The name tag lets people know that attendees belong to FUGE Camps and are not part of others on campus, such as summer students, location employees, or attendees at other camps also running on campus. In a sense, the name tag sets our attendees apart.
A uniform is another means of being set apart. When a person dons a firefighter’s uniform, that signifies that the person is trained and acting as a firefighter. This is true for many others, such as doctors, police officers, and the military. When we surrender our lives to Christ, we become a new creation and are made set apart from the world.
In Exodus 31, God tells Moses to command the Israelites to observe the Sabbath. God created the world in six days and then rested on the seventh. Likewise, the Israelites were to cease working on the seventh day as part of their covenant with God. Why? It was a reminder to them and a sign to the nations around them of the covenant between the Israelites and God. And, it was an opportunity for them to draw near to God, to take a step toward holiness, and to be set apart from their neighbors who worshiped and served other gods.
Verse 13 says, "Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you... that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.” The name God gives Himself here is Jehovah Mekoddishkem, a Hebrew name translating to "The LORD Who Sanctifies" or "The LORD Who Makes You Holy".
To sanctify means to be set apart for a sacred purpose, to make holy. In what we just read, God was speaking to Israel, declaring that holiness comes from Him, not human effort, and reminding them that their identity did not come from surrounding nations, their performance, or their effort.
We cannot clean ourselves up or make ourselves holy. The moment we accept, believe, and commit to Jesus, we receive forgiveness of our sins and are restored to the Father. But that does not make us perfect or even holy, for that matter. Wouldn’t that be nice? Instead, at that moment, we begin a lifelong journey toward holiness called sanctification. The Lord wants to work in our lives, transforming our hearts, renewing our minds, and reshaping our desires. And we must make it about daily formation.
This ongoing, daily formation is a refining process where God, Jehovah Mekoddishkem, shapes our character and calls us to live a life separate from sin and set apart for His purposes in our homes, churches, workplaces, and communities. It requires surrender, obedience, and recognition of our need for dependence on Him. May we be challenged to live set apart from the world and in such a way that others see the difference Jesus makes and want it for themselves.
Call to Action
Set aside a consistent time each day to spend with God, even if it is brief. Include this in the rhythms you already have established.
Be intentional about what you allow into your life. Identify one influence that pulls you away from God and begin to remove it.
Choose obedience in the small things. When you sense conviction, don’t delay. Respond.
Be willing to make room for God in whatever way He wants.
Digging Deeper
Read these passages on being holy and set apart: Leviticus 22:32, John 17:17, 1 Corinthians 6:11, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Colossians 3:12-17, Philippians 1:6, Philippians 2:12-13, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, and Hebrews 10:10-14.
Prayer
God, Jehovah Mekoddishkem, you are the One who sanctifies me and makes me holy. Thank You for setting me apart and patiently shaping my heart. Help me live today as someone who belongs fully to You.
Copyright © 2026 Kyle Cravens