Episode Transcript
You are listening to daily insights on the three ABN Radio Network. And here is your host, Kaysie Butler. Hello and welcome to the program.
I'm so glad you can join me today. When I say the word busy, what comes to your mind? Do you think of taking your kids to school, working on your job, cleaning the house? Family matters? Study? If you're a student, what comes to your mind? Probably at least all of these things, if not more. I know many of us these days, when we think about our lives, would be able to say, well, we're pretty busy.
And while being busy is not necessarily a bad thing, because if you're not busy enough, you can be less productive. And also there are a whole lot of other temptations that can come when you're not doing enough things. But at the same time, what about if you're too busy? I have a poem here called Too Busy.
It's written by Robert Hare. And it goes like this too busy to read the Bible too busy to wait and pray. Too busy to speak out kindly to someone by the way.
Too busy with care and struggle to think of the life to come. Too busy building mansions to plan for the heavenly home too busy to help a brother who faces the winter blast too busy to share his burden when self in the balance is cast too busy for all that. Is holy on earth beneath the sky.
Too busy to serve the Master, but not too busy to die. When you think about what that poem is saying, it's really talking about priorities, isn't it? We can have fill our life with so many things and they can be really good things. But what if we're missing what's most important? What if we're missing the things that are nurturing our spiritual life and planning for eternity? What if we're just getting so caught up in the things of this world and forgetting to build a relationship with Jesus Christ? Because really developing a good relationship with God takes time.
We have to plan for it. Because otherwise the things of everyday life can crowd out the space that we could use to nurture that relationship. And that is what our first song is about today.
It's called Take Time to Be Holy. And it's sung by the Nashville Choir. And it talks about all the different elements of a relationship with God that are important to include in our daily lives.
Holy speak off with my Lord in Him always I know who are we forget to keep? Take time to be holy, the world rushes on. Spend much time in Jesus with Jesus I only to Jesus take time to behold and run, not before him. Whatever joy still follow Jesus world be shadow my heart, not be all else to be safe.
And I wake my friend and my life I know my own heart before to be my vision. That was the Nashville Choir singing. Take time to be holy blended with be thou my vision.
How can we make taking time to be holy practical? What does that look like really, in everyday life? Well, Jesus has actually given us an example. When you read in Mark one, verse 35, it says and in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out and departed into a solitary place and there prayed. So notice a couple of things in that verse.
Firstly, it says in the morning. So he made that first priority in his day to spend time with God. And the beauty of that is that if the rest of your day gets crowded out doing things, it doesn't matter because you've made that priority number one and you've fitted in and you don't have to worry about it anymore.
And it also doing that sets the tone for the day when you've connected with God first thing, then even influence your mindset and outlook for the whole day. And oftentimes at least, I find in my personal life, the day turns out better when you've set God first. The other thing to notice about that verse is it says that Jesus departed into a solitary place.
So that would mean that he got away from probably other people and distractions and other things in his life so that he could just set his mind and focus on God and spending that time with him. And I think that's another important element too. If you can find a place where it's just quiet and you can spend that quality time with you and God, that is what will really make that time beneficial.
And that's what our next song is about today. It's called a quiet place and it's sung by Alessandra Soros. SA rapid pace where God can sue my sheltered by tree and fly there in my quiet, my care left behind there is a place of quiet rest near to the heart of God a place where sin cannot near to the heart of God o Jesus, bless redeemer sent from the heart of God hold us away for the near to the heart of God close SA of comfort sweet near to the heart of God a place where we are savior meet near to the Heart of God where desert is small mountain courage there from this wide race I prepare to face a new day with love for all mankind place aptly paired with near to the Heart of God by Alessandra Soros.
The next song I want to share with you is called The Secret Place and I believe it's based on Psalm 91, verse one, which says he that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. And when you think about it, this quiet time with God is like a secret because the communion that you spend with just you and God is not known to any other human being. It's just the two of you.
You're spending that time together and I think that's quite a beautiful way of looking at it, makes it very special. And the promise is that he that dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Which means you have the promise of God's protection with you for the rest of the day.
And I think that's doubly encouraging. So again, take note of the words for this upcoming song. The Secret Place by Ron and Shelley Hamilton.
Release your face of quiet place of hides rest beneath us wings in the shade of is the history be always rain I find it straight jesus me, my Lord will make a way to strengthen to help me see. Through draw me closer still knowing even the shadows I find it way I race I always embrace he gives me safe I find it straight I see it must be SA my praise always dream I must be you that was The Secret Place by Ron and Shelley Hamilton. Another idea on how to spend your time with God is to go and find a spot in the garden where you can pray and read the word of God.
But also you'll be surrounded with the beauties of nature. And because these are God's created works, you can learn more about Him by observing them as you spend time with Him. And I think that's a really lovely way to spend your time with God.
It can be first thing in the morning when the dew is on the roses or it could be later in the evening too as the sun sets over the hills it doesn't really matter when but it's just a beautiful way to spend time with God. So the next song I have for you is in the Garden by Laura Williams. While the dew is still on the roses and the voice I hear falling on my the sun of God is lo own and I wish every day none of Ranch dream and I guess with my heart is dreaming he was with me.
And he talk with me and he tell me I am his own. And the joy we share as we tell you. I stay in the garden with you all the night around me, before me.
Go through the voice of his voice to me, it's calling. And he was with me. And it was with that was Laura Williams singing in the garden.
We've been talking about spending time with God and when you think about it, the ultimate purpose of spending time with God really is to maintain and develop a connection with Jesus Christ. And do you know what the beautiful thing about that is? Jesus wants to be our best friend and he is our best friend. He is the most faithful person there is.
And of course we like to spend time with our friends we enjoy hanging out with them. And really, our time with God should be the same kind of thing. Something we look forward to, something that's enriching, inspiring, refreshing and encourages us on our way.
Marita Fong elaborates on this in our last song for today called I Have a Friend. I can tell him my secret. I have a friend and he loves me.
I know whether I'm sad forever. I'm smiling. My friend goes with me wherever I go and he's the very best friend in the world to me.
He hears me each time that I pray. And his name is Jesus. I have a friend and he'll be your friend.
He is the one you can always whatever and Jesus in the world to you. He won't. Close beside you each day yes, Jesus is the best friend in the world to you he'll hear you each time that you pray thank you, my leader, for that heartfelt rendition of I Have a Friend.
We've come to the end of our program for today, and as we've been considering about spending time with God, I'd like you to think about your own life, your own routine, your own schedule. If you haven't yet set apart special time every day to spend with God, I encourage you to consider making this a priority, especially if you can do it in the morning. That would be best because, again, it sets the tone for the whole day.
And remember that Jesus wants to be your best friend. So in your quiet time, as well as praying and studying His Word or spending time in nature and communing with Him there, you can share with Him your hopes, your dreams, your sorrows, your cares. Anything and everything that you need to share, you can do.
And God will always have a listening ear, which is so beautiful. So I encourage you to make this commitment and I'm sure that you will receive blessings from it. Until next time, I'm your host, Kaysie Butler.
Thank you for joining me today, and may God richly bless you've. Been listening to a production of three ABN Australia radio.
