Take Time

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 in 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 the 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 above.

~ William D. Longstaff

Prayer Life Pause: Heavenly Father, please continue to shower me in Your holiness that I may reflect it in my thoughts, words and deeds. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Beauty Full Sight

The beauty of God,

it can’t all be seen.

His majesty high,

our sin between.

Thus came the Son,

arrayed as our Light.

That all may view,

God’s beauty full sight.

~ apl

Prayer Life Pause: Lord Jesus, You are the Light of mankind. Help me to reflect Your light to others that, through me, they may see Your loving hope and salvation. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Perfect What Thou Hast Begun

Look upon us, O Lord,
and let all the darkness of our souls
vanish before the beams of thy brightness.
Fill us with holy love,
and open to us the treasures of thy wisdom.
All our desire is known unto thee,
therefore perfect what thou hast begun,
and what thy Spirit has awakened us to ask in prayer.
We seek thy face,
turn thy face unto us and show us thy glory.
Then shall our longing be satisfied,
and our peace shall be perfect.

~ Augustine

Prayer Life Pause: O Lord, help me to be all that I can be in Christ. Fill me with more and more of Your Spirit until self is swallowed whole. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Planted In Him

“Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.”

~ Psalm 1:1-3

Prayer Life Pause: Father, keep my heart from the counsel, paths and seat of the wicked. Guard me and plant me firmly in the presence of Your tender love and priceless grace that I may bear fruit to Your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.

The Eternal Prize

Christ our Lord would so deign,
down to man He humbly came.
To seek and save that which was lost,
and all at such a dear high cost.
Yet love would not let Him stay,
aloft in heav’n while we had strayed.
By faith in Christ now You may rise,
and reach the blessed eternal prize.

~ apl

Psalm 149

Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, And His praise in the assembly of saints. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise His name with the dance; Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp. For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory; Let them sing aloud on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand,  To execute vengeance on the nations, And punishments on the peoples;  To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron;  To execute on them the written judgment – This honor have all His saints. Praise the LORD!

Little To The Imagination

“I belong to my beloved, and his desire is for me.”

~ Song of Solomon 7:10

Solomon was famous for his wisdom and the ability to put down in words human thoughts and feelings that express our deepest and most intimate emotions. In his “songs”, Solomon captures the beauty and essence of human desire, love and devotion between a man and a woman. And it is portrayed at times, as to leave little to the imagination.

The spiritual significance of King Solomon’s words here relate to Christ and His Church. As the man in the “songs” pursues his beloved, the woman to whom he gives his love (vs.12), so Christ loves and pursues His Church. Jesus’ desire is for you to respond to His love and to pursue Him and to desire Him above all else. May our love and commitment to Christ be so evident, steadfast and sure, it leaves little to the imagination.

Amen