Take Time to Be Holy

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Short Summary
The discourse explores the hymn “Take Time to Be Holy,” encouraging deeper reflection on its message and the pursuit of holiness through prayer, Scripture, and imitation of biblical examples. It highlights the importance of abiding in God, seeking His guidance, helping others, and maintaining faith and calmness amid life’s trials, drawing on figures like David, Joseph, Paul, and others as models for living a holy life. Ultimately, it emphasizes continual spiritual growth through God’s grace and intentional effort.

Long Summary
Introduction and Theme
– The discourse centers on exploring a familiar hymn, encouraging deeper reflection on its meaning and the actions it exhorts for holiness.
– The hymn, often sung without much thought, is used as a framework to examine how believers can strive toward holiness in daily life.
– Before analyzing the hymn, the speaker sets the context by discussing its origin and the biblical concept of holiness.

Origin of the Hymn and Author Background
– William Longstaff (1822–1894), an English businessman and philanthropist, authored the poem that became the hymn.
– He was financially successful and supported Christian ministries, including those of Dwight Moody (founder of Moody Bible Institute) and William Booth (founder of the Salvation Army).
– Inspired by a sermon, Longstaff wrote a poem to visualize actions needed for holiness; later set to music and published in 1882.

Defining Holiness
– Biblical foundation: 1 Peter 1:14–16 (KJV)
> “As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
– The Greek word for holy, “hagios,” means sacred, set apart for God, purified, or prepared for service.
– Holiness involves being dedicated to God’s service and living a life that reflects His character.

Reading and Reflecting on the Hymn’s Text
– The hymn’s key exhortations include:
– Speak often with the Lord
– Abide in Him and feed on His Word
– Make friends of God’s children and help the weak
– Forget not to seek His blessing
– Spend time in secret communion with Jesus
– Let Him be your guide and do not run ahead of Him
– Follow Him in joy and sorrow
– Be calm in your soul with all thoughts and motives under God’s control

Biblical Examples Illustrating Key Hymn Themes
Speak often with the Lord / Abide and feed on His Word:
– Moses (Exodus 33:11, 13) spoke face to face with God and sought His guidance.
– Noah “walked with God” (Genesis 6:9).
– Enoch “walked with God” (Genesis 5:24).
– Abraham believed the Lord and was counted righteous (Genesis 15:6).
– David, a “man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14), demonstrated frequent prayer, repentance, and reliance on God (Psalm 139:23-24; Psalm 51:6-10).
– Mary (Luke 10:38-42) exemplifies presence with Jesus rather than being distracted by service (contrast with Martha).

Make friends of God’s children and help those who are weak:
– Jesus’ ministry to sinners and outcasts (Matthew 11:19; Luke 7:37-39).
– The parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25:31-46) emphasizes serving others as serving Christ Himself.
– The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37) teaches love beyond cultural or religious boundaries.
– Joseph’s forgiveness and care for his brothers and Egyptians despite their hostility.

Seeking God’s blessing:
– Gideon’s test with the fleece (Judges 6:36-40).
– Hannah’s heartfelt prayer and vow for a child (1 Samuel 1:8-11) illustrating faith and surrender to God’s will.

Secret time with Jesus:
– Daniel’s disciplined prayer life, praying thrice daily despite risks (Daniel 6:10).
– David’s solitary time tending sheep as faith-building (1 Samuel 17:34-37).
– Encouragement to avoid distractions and focus on heavenly things (Colossians 3:1-2).

Let Him be thy guide; run not before Him:
– Isaiah 40:29-31 teaches waiting on the Lord renews strength.
– Counterexamples: Sarah’s disbelief and laughter at God’s promise; Peter’s impulsive actions such as defending Jesus with a sword and walking on water but doubting (Matthew 14:26-31).
– Emphasizes patience, humility, and following God’s timing rather than rushing ahead.

Follow in joy or sorrow, trusting His Word:
– Abraham’s obedience to sacrifice Isaac trusting God’s promise.
– Job’s unwavering faith amid suffering, culminating in repentance and deeper understanding (Job 42:2-6).
– Joseph’s life marked by alternating seasons of joy and sorrow, yet steadfast faith.

Be calm in thy soul, controlling thoughts and motives:
– Apostle Paul’s example of calm endurance amid trials and suffering (Romans 12:3-5; 2 Corinthians 11:23-30).
– Paul and Silas in prison praised God and sought the salvation of the jailer (Acts 16:25-34).
– Encourages cultivating peace, humility, unity, and forgiveness.

Summary and Application
– The hymn provides a practical roadmap for holiness: constant communication with God, abiding in Him, serving others, seeking God’s guidance, patience, faithful endurance, and inner peace.
– Believers are called to make conscious efforts to grow in holiness, becoming new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17-21).
– Holiness involves spiritual growth, repentance, reliance on God’s grace, and embodying Christ-like character.
– The discourse encourages reflection on biblical models and personal application, fostering deeper commitment and transformation.

Key Bible Verses Cited
– 1 Peter 1:14-16
– Exodus 33:11, 13
– Genesis 5:24; 6:9; 15:6
– 1 Samuel 13:14; 17:34-37
– Psalm 38:4; 51:6-10; 139:23-24
– Luke 10:38-42; 7:37-39
– Matthew 11:19; 25:31-46
– Luke 10:30-37
– Judges 6:36-40
– 1 Samuel 1:8-11
– Daniel 6:10
– Colossians 3:1-2
– Isaiah 40:29-31
– Matthew 14:26-31
– Job 42:2-6
– Romans 12:3-5
– 2 Corinthians 11:23-30
– 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

This detailed examination of the hymn’s exhortations, supported by biblical examples and scriptures, serves as a comprehensive guide for believers aspiring to live holy lives, grounded in prayer, Scripture, humility, service, and trust in God’s guidance through all circumstances.

Transcript

So we’re doing something a little different today in that we’re dealing with a theme hymn. We don’t often do that, but I think it’s a nice way to shake things up a little bit. We just joined in the singing of a hymn that I suspect was familiar to just about everybody in the room, and sometimes I feel we see or hear something so frequently that we actually don’t pay as much attention to it. As a result, perhaps many of you, like I, have sung through these words without a great deal of thought.

What about these actions? Are we. Should we be thinking about these actions a little more? So we’re going to take a bit of time today to read through it and really think about the intention behind this hymn and consider some familiar examples that we can model ourselves after in our efforts to take time to be holy. Before we attend to the hymn itself, let’s set the stage by considering where it came from and what it actually means to be holy.

William Longstaff was born In England in 1822, the son of a wealthy ship owner, and he became a financially successful businessman in his own right. At the age of 38, he married Joyce Burlinson, who was 33, and together they had seven children. His wife died about 20 years later at the age of 54, leaving him a widower with six children still at home. However, due to his business, he maintained financial independence and was able to give generously to ministers and to their ministries. He supported a friend’s independent church.

He organized a donor base to permit visiting preachers to hold revivals, including one by the name of Dwight Moody. You may recognize him as the founder of the Moody Bible Institution, and he befriended the founder of the Salvation Army, William Booth. Now, there are two slightly different origin stories for this hymn, but it is agreed that after a sermon, he felt compelled to write a poem to help him envision the actions necessary to encourage holiness in his life. That poem ended up in the possession of a composer who later put music to it, and it was published in 1882, about 12 years before he died, and he died at the age of 72.

Today, we’re going to take some time to consider these words as a means of focusing on how we might work toward holiness in our own daily walk. But first, what does it mean to be holy? What are we really striving for? First Peter, chapter one, verses 14 through 16, reads as obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance. But 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.

When we read in verse 15 that we ought to be holy ourselves, that word holy is Greek for Greek number 40 Hagios. According to Strong’s it means sacred, worthy of veneration, things that are of God and are thus specially set apart. This includes servants of God such as the apostles. It also can mean prepared for God, or purified or cleansed, and so we want to consider the words of this poem set to a hymn to see if we can find some insights that would help us to better be prepared or set apart, serving God and thereby sacred as his tools.

So we’ll read the poem itself. We just sang it, but I’ll read through it 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 on Spend much time in secret with Jesus alone By looking to Jesus like him, Thou shalt be thy friends, and 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 of life.

There’s a lot of ground to cover, a lot of good thoughts. So we’ll zoom in on the first two lines. Speak oft with thy Lord. I’m not going to keep repeating take time, be holy. We know that part.

Speak oft with thy Lord, Abide in Him always and feed on His Word, and I should clarify, I’m going to play very loose with the word Lord, as I could imagine personal interpretations equally referring to Christ or God. Depending on the circumstances, we’ll use either, depending on which is easier to relate to a scripture or a Bible character who comes to mind for you when you think of those who would speak often with the Lord abiding in him and feeding on His Word. Think about those biblical characters. Now, when I think who might exemplify speaking to God, there are many answers, I’m sure.

But some that immediately came to my mind are Moses Exodus 33:11 13 the Lord spake unto Moses face to face as a man speaks to his friend, and Moses asked if I have found grace in thy sight show me now thy way that I may know thee Noah. Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. Enoch in Genesis 5:24 it just clearly says Enoch walked with God.

Now, of course, these all lived in significantly different times than we do today. I can only imagine they were in a much more direct form of communication with God, and they saw his hand more overtly in their lives.

So we would also benefit from some examples that are further down the timeline, such as Abraham, Genesis 15:6. He believed in the Lord, and he counted it to him for righteousness, and then the one that I really like to dig into is David. So we’re going to dig in a little more to David. To begin with, David had the right heart attitude, since we’re told from the beginning he was a man after God’s own heart.

That’s 1st Samuel 13, verse 14. We’ve touched on this at other times, but one aspect of having that correct heart attitude is his desire, excuse me, a desire to do God’s will coupled with a willingness to recognize when we fail at this and beyond that, to repent, accept the consequences, and make a change. We see this emphasized further in Psalm 139. Looking at the last two verses, verses 23 and 24 of Psalm 139, you read, search me, O God, and know my heart Try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Or elsewhere in the Psalms, David admits his need for God’s assistance.

Psalm 38:4 for mine iniquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me, and so he recognizes the need for God’s forgiveness, as well as recognizing that God does forgive. Psalm 51:6 10 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou has broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

One way we can work to abide in God always and feed on his word is to take these Scriptures to heart and endeavor to approach God in the way that David did, honestly openly trusting in him to see our faults and then help us move past them. We’ll also look at one counter example Someone who was not abiding in our Lord Jesus and feeding on His Word, and this is not a criticism, because we know that Martha loved Jesus and wished to serve Him. But if our goal is to take time to be holy, then we need to make sure that we make the time to be present, as Mary was present in Luke, chapter 10, verses 38 through 42. There will also be times we need to take care of those temporal things Martha was doing.

But our goal is to not lose sight of our Lord right there in front of us.

Next we have make friends God’s children, help those who are weak. I tried to not use Jesus as the answer to every one of these because it feels a little like cheating. He exemplifies all of these wonderful traits, right? But in this case, it. It felt too important to pass up.

Who else do we see that made so certain to befriend the friendless? All of God’s children, the sinners, the tax collectors. We have Matthew 11:19. We have Luke the seventh chapter, verses 37 through 39. Those outcasts by the Pharisees and leaders of the people.

These were all cared for and served quite specifically by our Lord during His advent. He provides such a wonderful example of this in Matthew 25, verses 31 through 46. This is that familiar passage where he describes the Son of Man coming in glory, separating the sheep from the goats, and he will bless those who gave him meat when he was hungry, drink when he was thirsty, took him in when a stranger clothed him, visited him, cared for him, verses 34 through 36, and when the righteous ask in verse 37, when did we do these things?

He answers that inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it to me.

It’s worth emphasizing that you should consider this type of guidance with care. Some might read this and believe we should avoid the world. Stick to only the inner circle of righteous Bible students, for example. But Romans 3:10 tells us that none are righteous, not one, and while we certainly shouldn’t go looking for those to distract us from our goal, nor should we avoid those who are obviously our brethren.

But neither should we think for a moment that there is not much to learn from outside our specific fellowship. That way lies the fault of the Pharisees, believing they and only they, had the truth, unwilling to budge in their understanding, unable to recognize it was not through a rigid legalism and a perfection of this one writing or set of writings, that perfection of that, or perfection of their character. It was not through this that they were intended to do God’s will. Look at the lesson of the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:30:37 who was neighbor to the man waylaid by the side of the road? Was it the priest, the Levite, who might have been assumed to be ideal due to their background and upbringing?

Of course we know it was not. The man received help from someone he would normally have avoided at all costs in if that man could gain something from even a Samaritan, perhaps we might gain something from a source we might otherwise revile.

Another example of befriending and caring for others, especially those who are weak, comes from Joseph. Think about the care he showed to both his family and the entire Egyptian people, and neither treated him well. His brothers hated him. They sold him into slavery.

Some wanted him dead, and then he ended up among the Egyptian people as a slave, accosted by Potiphar’s wife and imprisoned. After all that, he still chose to help the people. Some might have watched disaster befall all of them and said, it serves them right. They brought this on themselves.

But that would that would have not been someone deemed holy in the Lord’s eyes. Doesn’t that make it a perfect picture for us? Make friends of all God’s children, not only those who some might deem worthy, and especially those who are weak and those who persecute you, forgetting in nothing His Blessing to Seek which Bible characters come to mind when you think of those who seek the Lord’s blessing whenever possible?

One that came to mind is Gideon. Perhaps it was due to some studies at the time I was writing this, but my mind jumped directly to that test of the fleece. I want to seek God’s blessing on what my actions are. In a way, Gideon was seeking the direction of the Lord, and that could also be described as seeking the the Lord’s blessing on his intended course.

That’s Judges chapter 6, verses 36 through 40. Do we look for the Lord’s leading? Do we study and pray over important courses of action, seeking the Holy Spirit to provide some sense of direction?

Or what about Hannah? She was incredibly sad because she had no children. Her husband took special care of her as a result. Where some others might have been blaming, he was not blaming, and yet this did not ease her pain.

We read of their conversation in First Samuel, the first chapter, verses 8 through 11. Then said Elkanah, her husband, to her, hannah, why weepest thou? And why eatest thou not? And why is thy heart grieved?

Am not I better to thee than ten sons so Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Eli the priest, sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord, and she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord and wept sore, and she vowed a vow and said, o Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. There are several things worth highlighting here. One she had faith the Lord would hear her and answer her prayer.

2 she felt so strongly about this she was praying with her lips while saying nothing. 3 Eli mistakenly believed her to be drunk, or his mistake in believing her to be drunk provides her an opportunity to explain her prayer to him, which then underscores the depth of her feelings, and then four. Though this one thing is something she appears to want above anything else, she is still willing to give up that child into the care of God and his priests, even though this is the one thing she most wants, which highlights her depth of love and absolute faith and trust in God. When we pray for God’s guidance and direction, do we temper that with a willingness for it to deviate from our plan and maybe end in a way that serves God’s plan?

Or if there’s something that we desire greatly, are we willing to give it up again if that’s God’s will? At the heart of it all is God’s will and his blessings upon us for doing his will. Or, yeah, at the heart of it is God’s will and his blessings upon us for doing that will. Is that our greatest priority?

Spend much time in secret with Jesus alone? Who comes to mind when you think of spending secret time alone with Christ or our Father? I immediately thought of Daniel again, I’m also trying not to repeat if I can. I don’t want this to be about only three characters, but this does cover a different aspect of Daniel’s story. Daniel, chapter 6, verse 10.

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem. He kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did aforetime. Daniel didn’t make an outward show of his worship of God. He did it in the privacy of his own home, but he did it regularly, despite the plotting of those against him. We see no indication that he even thought of hesitating.

And this is such a wonderful example to us, and of course we know that there are many who portray this example from among our fellowship. We have heard stories of those under communism, under threat of prison, threat of death, who nevertheless continued to spend time with the Father and the Son in prayer and supplication.

And then David is another interesting example. We know in his early years he was a shepherd, and likewise we know he encountered dangers and challenges in the caring for his flock. He shares that story when he offers to confront Goliath, full of faith and zeal for our heavenly Father. First Samuel, 17th chapter, verses 34 through 37 and David said unto Saul, thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and and there came a lion and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock and I went out after him, and I smote him, and delivered out of his mouth when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.

David said, moreover, the Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out out of the hand of this Philistine, and Saul said unto David, go, and the Lord be with thee.

It is not explicitly stated, and yet I think we can safely conclude that David felt God with him all the time he was out on his own, with only the flock for company. It sure sounds like that from the things he’s describing, and that time was faith building to him. Especially given the hectic nature of our daily lives in our current era is it seems like a very wise and profitable course to avoid the distractions and temptations that encompass us, and make some time for quiet meditation and contemplation on things holy. Colossians 3:1 2 if ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

We move on to let him be thy guide, and run not before him whatever betide. After some thought on this passage, one verse came to mind. Isaiah, chapter 40, verses 29 through 31 he giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles.

They shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint when this poem or the verse of the hymn encourages us to run not before Him, I believe that is telling us to slow down. Do not get ahead of the Lord’s plans for us. Wait upon the Lord, and it’s no surprise this ties in and overlaps with some of the previous guidance. If we’re speaking off with the Lord, if we’re seeking his blessing and we’re spending time communing with him, then won’t we likely be waiting on the Lord as well?

Work in this direction would be self reinforcing rather than examples of waiting on the Lord. The first two examples that occurred to me were really counter examples how not to Wait on the Lord Things for us to beware. One is Sarah. When told she would bear a child to Abraham, she laughed. Now, this is not exactly the same as impetuously taking action without seeking the Lord’s will.

And yet she definitely was not trusting the Lord to be her guide. At that moment. She was acting in a way that implied perhaps she was wiser or maybe more informed than the Father. Like that’s ridiculous, and another counterexample is Peter.

I can think of no better example of running ahead blindly and energetically, maybe for the right reasons. In your own mind. This is instructive to us because it highlights your motivations, can be pure and well intentioned, but that doesn’t justify running before God’s will. Peter wouldn’t sit and let the Lord wash his feet. He grabbed a sword and defended Jesus from arrest, not realizing that Jesus expected it and planned to submit to that arrest.

He rashly and vigorously proclaimed he would never deny Jesus, and yet he was wrong, and when Peter saw Jesus walking on the stormy sea, he didn’t just ask plainly if it was really Jesus. Instead, Matthew 14, verses 26 through 31 when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, it is a spirit, and they cried out for fear. But straight away Jesus spake unto them, saying, be of good cheer, it is I be not afraid.

And Peter answered him and said, lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water, and he said, come, and when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid and beginning to sink. He cried, saying, lord, save me.

And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him and said unto him, o thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

You have to love Peter’s energy and zeal. His proof was something extraordinary and completely beyond our human experience.

From this experience, that believing Jesus could do it and believing that he, Peter could do it were two separate things.

Likewise, we, however, good intentions, should be careful about taking too much control on ourselves. Seeking the Lord’s guidance and the leading of the Spirit are key now exactly how to ask of God to see these things and to recognize his leading is still the trick. It reminds me a lot of parenting. There’s no easy answers. There’s only on the job training, with the only feedback being your constant mistakes.

The good news is, as long as you pay attention to those mistakes, you’re bound to at least make some forward progress by the time you reach the end of that journey.

In joy or in sorrow, still follow thy Lord and looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.

Think about who comes to mind when you read this line of the hymn who follows either God or Jesus in joy or in sorrow.

Abraham is one example. We know he spoke with the Lord and had a very special relationship, and yet he also followed through with a plan to sacrifice his only son, an even more extreme version than Hannah. Trusting in God’s word even then. Or what about Job?

Yes, one part of the story focuses on Job’s bitterness at his losses and his confusion at his suffering. But underneath that layer is one in which he never loses his faith. He recognizes that he doesn’t understand, and he’s receptive when God increases his understanding. Job, chapter 42, verses 2 through 6 I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?

Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand. Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know his. Hear now and I will speak. I will ask you, and you instruct me. I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you.

Therefore I retract and I repent in dust and ashes.

Of course our flesh will fail, and of course we will struggle against the pitfalls and obstacles that will appear before us. But it is not the fleshly pull that God cares about. It is whether, despite that pull we still maintain our faith and love and zeal for him, and can we continue to be teachable children despite those setbacks?

And then there’s Joseph. He seems to be a perfect fit. He followed the leading of God through an amazing degree of both joy and sorrow, raised with a loving brother and father. Joy. But also a bunch of brothers who are extremely jealous of him.

Sold into slavery only as an alternative to death. Sorrow Raised to master over Potiphar’s household. Perhaps some of joy and some of sorrow. There falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife. Definitely Sorrow.

Then through his good character in prison he interprets dreams but is forgotten. More sorrow. Only later when dreams trouble the king, he is remembered and honored for being an interpreter of God’s dreams. Perhaps Joy, and then put into a position where he can save not only the Egyptian people but many surrounding nations including his own family.

Joy. Ending with a reunion with his father and best loved brother. More joy, and of course the point again that through all of this he maintained his faith and trust in God.

And now we come to the last stanza. Our poem Be Calm in Thy Soul. Each thought and each motive beneath his control.

I got to thinking about who within the Bible might be an example of being calm in their soul, and aside from maybe a few of the names already mentioned, which I’m trying really hard to repeat as little as possible, the name that most clearly sprang to mind was the Apostle Paul. Now, maybe he didn’t start out that way. I don’t picture him as necessarily calm in those early days, but his writings definitely paint a picture for me of someone who has learned who he is and what God would have him do. He speaks of the union between Jews and Gentiles brought about by Christ In Ephesians, the second chapter, verses 13 through 14.

But now in Christ Jesus, you who formerly were far off, have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who made both groups into one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall. In Romans he describes our reasonable service to God. As I read this passage, note how well Be calm in thy soul might apply.

Romans 12, verses 3 through 5 for through the grace given to me, I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think, but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. For just as we have many members in one body, and all the members do not have the same function, so we who are many are one body in Christ individually members one of another. Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your Own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men, if possible, so far as it depends on you.

Be at peace with all men. Think of the life of Paul after he became an apostle. Think of the lengths he went to in order to serve the brethren. He shares the suffering he endured in 2 Corinthians, the 11th chapter, 2nd Corinthians 11, 23, 30. Are they servants of Christ?

I speak as if insane. I am more so, in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews 39 lashes. Three times I was beaten with rocks. Once I was stoned.

Three times I was shipwrecked. A night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren. I have been in labor and hardship through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all of the churches.

Who is weak without my being weak, who is led into sin without my intense concern. If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness.

When Paul and Silas were thrown into prison in Philippi, many of you likely remember that story of the prison door being thrown open in the night. What would you have done in that moment? Why was the door thrown open if not to permit us to wound?

And Paul calmly saw another path, a better path. Even better than the innocent escaping, Was the innocent remaining behind when everyone knew they could have escaped? The innocent showing concern for the jailer’s life so that the jailer was converted on the spot. As someone who recognizes my own challenges with remaining calm, this example that Paul provides to us is as amazing as it is beautiful, and perhaps it provides an opportunity to tie together the many threads we’ve been discussing in and around this hymn of exhortation.

Our goal is to take time to be holy, and the many bits of advice from this poem turned into a hymn are, at the very least, a good roadmap to start that journey. We’re to speak with our Lord in constant prayer, feeding on his word, making every effort to be at one with his Spirit. We’re to assist those in need to befriend all of God’s children, not just those who meet our internal image of what God’s children should be. We are to spend time in personal communion and prayer, always remembering to consider the guiding of His Spirit and asking his blessing upon our thoughts and words and actions. We’re to both seek the guidance and be prepared to follow that guidance, not getting ahead of the Lord or attempting to take the reins ourselves.

Don’t be impetuous like Peter. Slow down. Let the Lord lead you. We are to follow our Lord, whether through joy or sorrow, keeping in mind the example set for us by Joseph, who just weathered whatever came his way and yet still continually move forward in his service to God. Lastly, of course, we return to Paul and his lesson of calmness and patience.

Paul had passions, but I believe his about face after being confronted with the truth of Christ and His resurrection helped him to keep a tight grip on them most of the time. In doing so, he became a far better tool in the hands of the Father. That transition is what we need to strive for. It is described of our growth as new creatures in 2 Corinthians, chapter 5, 2 Corinthians 5:17 21 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature. The old things passed away.

Behold, new things have come now. All these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely through that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ as though God were making an appeal through us. We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him as ambassadors for Christ.

Making that conscious effort to be holy is essential. Through that effort and through practice, we will grow more into that likeness, and with the Lord’s leading and his grace, we pray we will eventually make our calling and election sure. I hope you enjoyed our journey through this familiar hymn, and I hope you can remember some of these thoughts as a way to encourage your personal growth in the future. To God be the glory.

Amen.

Click Here for the PDF transcript.