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“Take Time To Be Holy”

by Chris Simmons

With the understanding that we are to learn and be edified through the songs that we sing in worship to God, let us consider the words of another hymn that we commonly sing, “Take Time To Be Holy”; written by William D. Longstaff. History recounts that Mr. Longstaff was neither a preacher nor a poet, but in fact was simply an English businessman, who was also a Christian, who took his faith and service to God very seriously. Having heard a sermon based on I Peter 1:15-16 (“like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’”), Mr. Longstaff was provoked to write a poem “Take Time To Be Holy.” Years later, perhaps unbeknownst to Mr. Longstaff, a musician named George Stebbins had taken note of this poem and, seeking a hymn on the subject of holy living, put the poem to music, creating the song we sing today.

This song links two very important ideas that we need to concern ourselves with – our time and our holiness. Mr. Longstaff understood and attempted to convey in his poem, that holiness was not a quality attained in an instant, but only through our commitment of time and our diligent attention.

Our time is one of the most important and valuable resources God has given us. We need to learn to value the time God has given us and learn to use it to His glory and honor. David wrote in Psalms 90:12, “So teach us to number our days, that we may present to Thee a heart of wisdom.” There is a return we are to give to God for the time that God blesses us with. Will we allow God to show us how to use our time for Him? Or will we allow our time to be consumed with things that flow from the love of self, or the love of this world, rather than love of God? Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:15-17, “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” We are responsible for “making the most” of our time and the opportunities of life that come our way (Colossians 4:5). We are responsible for taking the time to be holy.

God expects us then to use our God-given time to attain and maintain holiness. As previously noted in I Peter 1:15-16, all of our behavior and our very being is to be characterized by holiness. The word “holy” means to be sacred, consecrated, or set aside for special use. It ultimately is to be applied in terms of our separation from sin and the world and our dedication then to God. Peter points out in I Peter chapter one that holiness is only possible through our redemption which is in Christ Jesus and our obedience to the truth (verses 18-22). As noted in its definition, holiness requires our separation from all that is sinful, lawless, and impure (II Corinthians 6:14-7:1) and a knowledge of and adherence to all that is right and pure and honorable in the sight of God. That takes time.

What can this song teach us about the relationship of time and holiness? Consider the first verse of the song which reads:

“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.”

First, this verse speaks of the relationship of our prayers to God and holiness. Mr. Longstaff wrote of our need for prayer when he noted, “speak oft with thy Lord.” Genuine and heartfelt prayer takes time. It takes time to “pray without ceasing” (I Thessalonians 5:17). It takes time to be “devoted to prayer” (Romans 12:12; cf. Colossians 4:2). We are taught to “pray at all times” (Ephesians 6:18) which requires we set aside the time to do so. Will we take the time to be holy by making the time everyday to pray as we ought to pray?

Second, Mr. Longstaff wrote of the need to be holy by abiding in Him always, and feeding on His word. That is, it takes time to “feed” on, digest, and otherwise study God’s word. Fulfilling the command in II Timothy 2:15 to “Be diligent (study, KJV) to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” requires we dedicate and invest the time to know it and apply it and handle it accurately. Time is required to commit to memory what we need to call to mind in moments of trial or temptation (II Peter 1:12-15). Time is required to become the teachers of God’s word that God expects us to be (Hebrews 5:12).

Third, Mr. Longstaff wrote of the need to serve others by making friends of God’s children and helping those who are weak. Again, it takes time to be of service to our brethren and neighbors. Whether the need is admonishment, encouragement, or help for the weak (I Thessalonians 5:14), we have to invest time in order to accomplish any of those spiritual needs. Our individual service of “pure and undefiled religion” (James 1:27) in visiting the orphans and widows takes time. When Jesus spoke of the judgment in Matthew 25:31-46, He distinguished those who gave the hungry something to eat, gave the thirsty something to drink, showed hospitality to strangers and visited the sick and imprisoned from those who didn’t – that is, those who dedicated the time to those acts of service from those who didn’t have the time. It takes time to serve others.

Finally, Mr. Longstaff wrote of the need to devote our time to worship God. In his use of the words “His blessing to seek,” I see the need to come seek His blessings in our worship of Him. God seeks those who will devote the time to worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). It is to be our habit (our pattern of life) to commit the time to assemble with our brethren to honor and glorify His name (Hebrews 10:24-25). But consider this question, if we choose to give God the time we need to pray unceasingly, to study His word devotedly, and serve others persistently, will we ever have an issue with committing the time to worship God reverently and seek His blessings?

It’s sad how many take the time God gives them in life and choose to use it simply on their own pleasures and self-interests. The reality is that time once wasted on selfish pleasures and sinful indulgences can never be returned to us to use in a noble effort to be holy as He is holy. May we learn to value time as a precious blessing of God and use it accordingly. The good news is that regardless of whatever time we’ve wasted in the past, we can begin from this moment on to give to God first, of our time, and seek to draw closer to Him. We must, for it takes time to be holy.

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