A Morning Devotion-Take Time To Be Holy

My old red hymnal holds 628 hymns. I once determined that I was going to use these hymns to learn basic chording on the piano given to me over two decades ago and I play with it, but my daughters play it.

Six-hundred and twenty-eight hymns, beginning with "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee," and ending with "Amens."

"Ever singing, march we onward, victors in the midst of strife, joyful music leads us sunward in the triumph song of life," go the last two measures of the opening hymn. And the closing hymn is just thirty amens sung sevenfold.

And then there's hymn 441, hidden treasure.

"Take Time To Be Holy."

I've never seen it before yesterday, I don't know what it sounds like. Yet. But I will, with advance apologies to my family because it ain't gonna sound pretty and yellow therapy dog, whose quirky nerves twang twingy when the piano is skillfully played, will need therapy for herself once I get started!

Well the hymn is, to me, straight path in a world that tilts on it's axis. It's right-side up calm in a racing world upset by those who dare to take time to be holy.

In a world filled with gadgets and industries to save time, this dearest and truest hymn sings out both joyful, joyful triumph song of life and "amens" sevenfold.

 

Fast Lane

In a world that spins faster than the spin cycle on my washing machine as it shimmies an unbalanced load across the linoleum, and wedges the laundry room door shut and so much for the saving time machine, 'cause by the time we, well, ehem, my strong and strapping German husband, maneuvers the door open, I could have hand washed the load and hung it out to dry; in a world like this I choose to take time to "be fitted for service above" where the only time saver is just all eternity straight up and holy. 

I'm not hand washing laundry, but dishes? Yeah, I am. Ever since a few weeks ago when the dishwasher whirred a speedy hum for one last steamy breathless time. I don't have the heart to tell Mr. Strong and Strapping that another appliance spun and slid right off the edge of this little world called home where, contrary to Columbus' discovery about the big world out there, things just do slip and slide and sorta spin into oblivion because, in here, the floors are flat and I don't know how to repair a spun out dishwasher, don't think it's worth the time to learn how, and I hope my husband doesn't read this post till Christmas break when he gets time to breathe between semesters.

 

Take Time To Be Holy

by: William D. Longstaff

 

 

Taking Time

 

 

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.

 

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

Much time spend in secret with Jesus alone;

By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;

Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.

 

3. Take time to be holy, let Him be they 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.

 

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.

 

 



 

 

written by: Carolyn-Elizabeth Roehrig