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Hudson Taylor on Making Time for Your Devotional Life

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Hudson Taylor (1832-1905) was a British missionary to China and the founder of the China Inland Mission (currently OMF International). Against all odds and many criticisms, he moved to China at the age of 21 and went to unconventional lengths (such as wearing native Chinese clothing—considered a scandal by many Western missionaries of his day) to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to the unreached peoples of inland China. He has been used greatly by God and is currently one of the most widely-known and influential missionaries in Christian history.

Taylor’s son, Dr. Howard Taylor, in Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret (p. 243) accounts an experience he had traveling with his father through China. He writes,

It was not easy for Mr. Taylor in his changeful life, to make time for prayer and Bible study, but he knew that it was vital. Well do the writers remember traveling with him month after month in northern China, by cart and wheelbarrow, with the poorest of inns at night. Often with only one large room for coolies and travelers alike, they would screen off a corner for their father and another for themselves, with curtains of some sort; and then after sleep at last had brought a measure of quiet they would hear a match struck and seek the flicker of candlelight which told that Mr. Taylor, however weary, was pouring over the little Bible in two volumes always at hand. From two to four a.m. was the time he usually gave to prayer; the time when he could be most sure of being undisturbed to wait upon God. That flicker of candlelight has meant more to them than all they have read or heard on secret prayer; it meant reality, not preaching but practice.

“Satan will always find you something to do,” he would say, “when you ought to be occupied about that, if it is only arranging a window blind.”

Let’s take heed the counsel of this great missionary. To accomplish great things for God—even to enjoy Him—we must, by His grace, maintain regular, prayerful Bible study.

Comments

  1. Thank you for posting this article – I found it very challenging and inspiring. Hudson Taylor was certainly right when he said that ‘satan will always find something for you to do’.

  2. I just wanted to know if someone could explain what “Satan will always find you something to do,” he would say, “when you ought to be occupied about that, if it is only arranging a window blind.” means. I understand the first part of the quote, but the second half is a little confusing.

    • I know from experience I can be in my office and in the moment when I should be 100% focused on hearing the voice of God through His word I see a paper on the wall or something in the office that I should fix or move or clean. Taylor says “arranging the window blind (which is a pull-down covering over window),” is “something to do” that is a distraction. I believe, he’s simply alluding to any distraction that takes us away from the Word and hearing His voice.

    • Hello brother. I take it to mean sonetimes we can be tempted in a way that really feels like we have to do this or that. Sometimes it’s unimportant, but at the time of temptation it will feel vital. Sadly, this happens to me a lot and I am weaker in the Lord because of all my distractions and lack of devotions. Please pray for me. And, be encouraged because He IS the Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him! No matter where you are, if you drsw close to Him He will draw close to you!

      God bless! And God loves you,

      🙂

    • To me, it means that when I sit down to have time with God, I need to guard that time and not get distracted from talking with God. Satan hates when we refill ourselves with Gods presence. He will use the simplest things to steal our time and divert the meeting we are about to have with God to get our directions for the day and engage in spiritual warfare.

    • I think he’s saying that when we should be “occupied” with doing what God has for us to do, Satan will always find something _else_ for us to do, even “if it is only arranging a window blind”. It’s just a little arcane the way it’s expressed – “old-timey” 8^).

    • He is saying Satan will keep you so busy with some sort of task to keep you from praying and studying the bible

    • Dar, It means that even if we can only close ourselves off by a sheet for privacy, to have time with the Word and Holy Spirit,…we can do it. In Asian Society… where privacy is most difficult…many live together in small spaces as was described here. But if we want to find a way…God allows it and helps with it.There will always be distractions to spending time with God in His Word. Satan is all about distractions. Given 1/10 of an inch…he will take all he wants from us. He will steal our time and anything we surrender. We must put him under through prayer, take our thoughts captive and discipline to do what we are called to do.
      Hope that helps. Lord bless you and multiply His Wisdom to you through His Word.

    • I read it as this: Satan always finds something to distract us with when we ought to be spending time with God, even if it is something as mundane as arranging a window blind.

    • “When you ought to be occupied about that,” I believe he is referring back to your prayer time and Bible study. “If it is only arranging a window blind,” this part I believe jumps back to the first clause in the quotation when he states “Satan will always find you something to do.” If that makes sense, I do believe that is how the reading should be understood. I hope that helped.

  5. Dar~

    It just means that our enemy is a master at diverting our attention, even in small, subtle ways, away from the time that we should be spending with the Lord. Adjusting a blind, for example, is not wrong when done at an appropriate time, but we need to know that, that time is not during our devotionals.

    • Satan strategy is to bring alternatives even when they are not asked or needed. Just at the time for devotion or prayer is when the bell will ring, the baby will cry what ever distortion. agree adjusting the blind but at the right time is not wrong. must be aware of his schemes.

  6. Distractions Dar, even the smallest can pull one away from time with the Lord. That’s what I believe is being said.

  7. Dar, it means Satan will distract you with even the simplest things to do, even if its dusting the blinds. He doesnt have to have it look evil to us as temptation. It could be what we would consider even our daily chores, just so long as you stay out of the word of God, because we are to busy with our daily to do’s. Thats what I took from it anyhow, Hope that helps! 🙂

  8. The fact you have mulled on Hudson Taylor’s words means that my suggestion may not prove satisfactory, that you have allready considered this idea. His son described the 2 – 4 AM time spent by Hudson as time least likely to be disturbed to “wait upon God”. As a servant in a royal house listening for any word or command of the master of the house, it is not a time to be distracted. I believe this is the “that” spoken of by Hudson. Thus, any time spent arranging a blind is time of inattention to the house master. There is a large difference between having a time of prayer and a time of waiting for God’s specific direction, unless that time of prayer is a quiet one. I’m not intuitive, so I don’t get reliable impressions in the heart. In my case, if I’m in a quiet place, determined to not wander wondering, a verse of Scripture may pop in mind. Sometimes it’s a wandering thought, but sometimes it fits the situation perfectly. To be arranging blinds at that moment would cloud my mind just enough to perhaps miss it.
    I think that’s Hudson’t intent in that sentence. .

  9. I just have a hard time balancing work, 3 kids with their homework and evening activities (which are only 1 each), house, dishes, laundry, etc. I’m just so tired. Any ideas?

    • TAKE the time to pray and read the Bible..Don’t wait for it to become available. There will always be something else to do instead if you let it. A good time would be after the children are in bed and the day is almost done. Time with God before bed or get up an hour earlier to have time with the LORD. Once you make the commitment to do this,you will find you will be able to get thing done
      Matt 11;28
      Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.