In Luke 10:38-42, we have seen the danger of being distracted like Martha, and the priority of listening like Mary.  But how can we apply this to our lives today?  We must make space for God.  We must make time to sit and listen to Jesus.  We need to make space each day to spend time with God.  We need to make space each week to gather with God’s people to spend time together with God.  Let me share three pointers that I am learning when it comes to making space for God:

First, we have to address our busyness, our distractions.  Some things may need to go in order to make space for God each day, and each week.  Each of us needs to evaluate our lives from time to time to see if we have become too busy, to consider ways to simplify, to make sure we are making space for God.

Second, we need to make enough space for God.  Hurry kills relationship; it kills listening.  If you spend five minutes racing through a passage of Scripture and throwing up a quick prayer and wonder why you have a distant relationship with God and get little out of your time with God, then the answer is found one word: hurry.  Let me say it again: hurry kills relationship; it kills listening.  We need to make enough space to spend time to listen to God by meditating on his Word.  To meditate is to ponder, consider, think about.  It means reading and thinking until you get a good idea of what God is saying, and how it relates to you, and how you need to respond.  We need to make enough space to meditate and respond in prayer without constantly checking the clock, without rushing, without hurry.  And we need to make enough space on Sundays that we can meditate along with the pastor during the sermon without constantly checking our watches hoping the pastor will hurry.

Third, we need to protect our space with God.  In our daily time with God, we must not allow intrusions or distractions.  Pick a good time.  Find a quiet place.  Ignore the phone (is the person calling more important than the one you are already talking with?).  Don’t schedule other things during that time.  Yes, I know we must at times, and emergencies do come up, but these should be exceptions rather than the rule.  On Sundays too we need to protect our space with God.  Family and friends get-togethers really can wait until after church (and far enough after that you aren’t rushing – see point 2 above).  Do your best not to have to work.  Don’t allow others things to take priority.  Remember, our first priority is listening to Jesus.   Protect your space.

If we are going to listen to Jesus and not live distracted lives, we must make space for God.  That includes addressing our busyness, making enough space to meditate on God’s Word, and protecting our space.  How foolish for us to let other things take priority over God.  He is the priority.  Father, help us to make space for you….