Take Time To Be Holy

We sang this hymn Sunday morning, and the words caught in my throat.  Have you thought about the holiness of the Lord lately?  It is not an option for Christian living.  It is a description of what Christian living is to be.  The Bible tells us that is how we are to live!  Daily!  Sadly, we don't do what is needful...what is important...and we can't help those who are weak.  We don't know His blessings.  Our friends have no idea we are Christians because of our conduct.  We are not calm.  We are always running...seeking our own plans and ideas.  We are out of control...and reproducing that kind of life in our children.  We think we have a pretty good life; but God wants us to have life more abundantly!  He wants us to have better...yet, we continually fight Him for our good life.  What a difference there could be in our lives...if we would just take time...to be holy!

Take time to be holy,
Speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always,
And feed on His Word:
Make friends of God’s children,
Help those who are weak;
Forgetting in nothing
His blessing to seek.

Take time to be holy,
The world rushes in;
Spend much time in secret
With Jesus alone:
By looking to Jesus
Like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct
His likeness shall see.

Take time to be holy,
Let Him be thy guide,
And run not before Him
Whatever betide;
In joy or in sorrow
Still follow thy Lord,
And looking to Jesus,
Still trust in His Word.

Take time to be holy,
Be calm in thy soul;
Each thought and each motive
Beneath His control;
Thus led by His Spirit
To fountains of love,
Thou soon shalt be fitted
For service above.

A well-to-do businessman, William Dun Longstaff, penned the words to this hymn after listening to men preach about the holiness of God.  I Peter 1:16, "Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."  As I read through I Peter 1, I am struck with the thought that holiness isn't just a part of our Christian life.  It is to be our whole heart attitude!  We are to "gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ:  as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance..."

When Christ has done a work in our heart, WE CANNOT REMAIN AS WE WERE!   "Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you..."

God is holy.  Jesus Christ gave His life in obedience to God's holiness.  Have you asked Him to be your Savior?  You must start there.  A holy life is evidence of the work of God in a Christian's life. As a child of God, I have His Holy Spirit working in my heart.  We are to be holy in all manner of conversation...it isn't an option.  It is a command.   Are you taking time to learn what it means to live a holy life?  How much time have you spent in God's Word today?   Do you spend time at the table (church, Bible studies, Sunday school, and other opportunities) being fed?  Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to work?  Are you listening?  Are you obeying?
Meditate on the words of this great hymn...if the words get caught in your throat because you can't sing them honestly...take time...and speak with the Lord.