As he who called you is holy,
so be holy in all you do.
—1 Peter 1:15
In 1882, William Longstaff heard a sermon on 1 Peter 1:15-16: “As he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” Making the achievement of holiness his life goal, Longstaff wrote the words to the hymn, Take Time to Be Holy.
Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word. . . .
Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
It takes time to mature in holiness. Sanctification comes to those who spend quality time in the presence of him who is holy; a gift denied to the careless and complacent.
To become holy, give yourself wholly to Him.