I love the song Take Time to Be Holy written by Williams Long Dunstaff and George C. Stebbins.. It indicates that time and effort must be offered on our part for holiness to be achieved. Of course man cannot save himself by works (Gal. 2:16). However, my obedience is necessary to have the faith and love required by God (Jn. 14:15; Jms. 2:17). Unfortunately, many spend their time in sinful worldliness instead of walking in God’s light. It’s as if they wish to sing, “Take time to be worldly!”
How is your time spent? If you were to break down your week into hours spent, certainly many of those would serve your basic needs. We spend time eating, sleeping, resting, and working to fulfill the needs of the body. Certainly God is pleased with these, for He created us with these needs and commanded His children to meet them (1 Ki. 19; Mar. 6:31; 2 Thes. 3:12).
Where else would you find your time spent? Hopefully there would be time dedicated to worship and study, both public and private. God desires that we seek Him in these holy ways (1 Thes. 5:17; 2 Tim. 2:15).
Are you spending time in fellowship with brethren? Some show up late and leave early, and barely utter a word to anyone in the assembly, missing a golden opportunity (Heb. 10:24-25). Do you invite Christians into your home, or meet them in other places for edification’s sake? God certainly would have it be so (Heb. 13:1).
Consider how much time the heathen spend in gossiping, drinking, gambling and viewing ungodly content on the movie, television, phone, tablet, or computer screen. God’s child abhors these things and chooses rather to seek that which is above (1 Thes. 5:6-7; Pro. 11:13; 1 Tim. 6:10; Job 31:1; Col. 3:1-2).
It takes time, a commitment from each of us, to be holy. It also takes time to be worldly. What will God find you doing upon the day of judgment? How are you spending your time? “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:15-16).
-Ross Haffner