Time for God
Elisabeth Elliot emphasizes the necessity of dedicating time for God amidst life's distractions to foster spiritual growth and connection.
Elisabeth Elliot emphasizes the importance of setting aside daily time for God, especially in the midst of busy days, highlighting the significance of prayer, Bible reading, and silent listening. Despite struggles with earthly distractions, the intentional act of dedicating time to God can be seen as an offering to Him, ultimately leading to spiritual gain. Elliot encourages perseverance in pursuing holiness, drawing parallels to Moses seeking God at the Rock of Horeb, where God promises to meet those who earnestly seek Him.
Text
It is a good and necessary thing to set aside time for God in each day. The busier the day, the more indispensable is this quiet period for prayer, Bible reading, and silent listening. It often happens, however, that I find my mind so full of earthly matters that it seems I have gotten up early in vain and have wasted three-fourths of the time so dearly bought (I do love my sleep!). But I have come to believe that the act of will required to arrange time for God may be an offering to Him. As such He accepts it, and what would otherwise be "loss" to me I count as "gain" for Christ.
Let us not be "weary in well-doing," or discouraged in the pursuit of holiness.
Let us, like Moses, go to the Rock of Horeb--and God says to us what He said to him, "You will find me waiting for you there" (Ex 17:6 NEB).
Sermon Outline
- I points: - The importance of setting aside time for God - The necessity of quiet periods for prayer and reflection
- II points: - Challenges of maintaining focus during prayer - The struggle with distractions and earthly matters
- III points: - The value of the act of will in dedicating time to God - Transforming perceived loss into spiritual gain
- IV points: - Encouragement to persist in spiritual practices - Finding God in moments of solitude
Key Quotes
“The busier the day, the more indispensable is this quiet period for prayer, Bible reading, and silent listening.” — Elisabeth Elliot
“The act of will required to arrange time for God may be an offering to Him.” — Elisabeth Elliot
“You will find me waiting for you there.” — Elisabeth Elliot
Application Points
- Set aside a specific time each day for prayer and reflection.
- Practice redirecting your thoughts back to God when distractions arise.
- View your commitment to spend time with God as a valuable offering.