April 29

Take time to be holy

“What, could ye not watch with me one hour?” (Matt. 26:40).

“No time to pray!”
Oh, who so fraught with earthly care
As not to give to humble prayer
Some part of day?

“No time to pray!”
’Mid each day’s danger, what retreat
More needful than the mercy seat?
Who need not pray?

“No time to pray!”
Must care or business, urgent call
So press us as to take it all
Each passing day.

What thought more drear
Than that our God His face should hide,
And say, through all life’s swelling tide,
“No time to hear!”


My soul, if thou wouldst muse more, the fire would burn more. Why dost thou not retire oftener with thyself? Thou wouldst be better fitted for the world if thou wert less worldly. If thou hadst more heavenly fire thou wouldst have more earthly power. Is there no secret pavilion into which thou canst go and warm thyself? Is there no holy of holies where thou canst catch a glow of impulse that will make thee strong? Is it not written of the Son of man that “as he prayed the fashion of his countenance was altered”? Yes; it was from His prayer that His transfigured glory came. It was from the glow of His heart that there issued the glow of His countenance. It was when He was musing that the fire kindled.
O my soul, wouldst thou have thy life glorified, beautified, transfigured to the eyes of men? Get thee up into the secret place of God’s pavilion, where the fires of love are burning. . . . Thy prayers shall be luminous; they shall light thy face like the face of Moses when he wist not that it shone. Thy words shall be burning; they will kindle many a heart journeying on the road to Emmaus. Thy path shall be lambent; when thou hast prayed in Elijah’s solitude thou shalt have Elijah’s chariot of fire.

—George Matheson.

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