January 7, 2024: Isaiah 6:1-13

Take Time to Be Holy

William D. Longstaff, 1822-1894

Verse 1
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.

Verse 2
Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
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.

Verse 3
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.

Verse 4
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.

I would encourage you to sing this (in your head or in your seclusion if you are afraid of others hearing you). If you are alone or in a family gathering and want some musical accompaniment, see this page for an accompaniment: https://gccsatx.com/hymns/take-time-to-be-holy/

You have been pondering and meditating on God’s holiness and now you should worship Him in the beauty of holiness. Meditate on the message of this hymn, let the words sink in, and you may find that they will yield a deeply moving experience.

Self-rule is destroyed in the presence of God and His holiness. We acknowledge Him as Master and we submit to His authority and direction.

We bow before Him recognizing that He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We do this willingly now, but there will come a day when “every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11). Those who bow grudgingly then will not enjoy the benefit or blessing of those who bow willingly now.

Prayer

LORD,

I acknowledge You as the Holy, Just and Righteous Sovereign of the Universe. Because of who You are, I want to take time to dwell on Your Holiness. I want to respond to You by speaking often with You as I run the course of my daily routine. I want to feed constantly on Your Word. I want to be sensitive to the needs of others, responding as Your hands and feet. I want to spend time in fellowship with Your children, encouraging and being encouraged to pursue holiness, without which we will not see You.

As the world rushes on seeking significance, seeking security, seeking pleasure, I want to find You in the secret place and spend time getting to know You better. As I look at Jesus, my example, I want to be like Him and to know that others recognize that I have been in His presence. I want the world to see His likeness in me.

I want to be guided by my Savior and His Spirit. Lord, help me not to rush ahead of Your leading and try to do it myself and not to lag behind when it’s hard to follow. Help me to follow You in sorrow or in joy, always trusting in Your Word.

Father, calm my soul. Teach me to wait on You. Help me to bring each thought and each motive under Your control. And as Your Spirit leads me to a deeper experience of Your love and grace, fit me for Your service. I want to be used by You. AMEN.