Wednesday's Word...Rhythm (Part 1 of 4)

Today I will begin a four part post, each posting on 4 consecutive Wednesday's. 


Rhythm...

I am a musician, in the loosest sense of the word. That is, I play guitar. When I first started, it was easy to play (except for the painful callouses on my fingers). I could play as fast or as slow as I needed to because I was playing by myself. Then in college, I was asked to play in a chapel praise band. Wow...different story all together. I learned quickly the importance of rhythm. Rhythm holds everything together in music. As a listener of music I never payed any attention to rhythm, that is, unless it was not present. Then it's quite noticeable. 

Rhythm is an invisible quality that holds everything together, not just music. We are created to exist in rhythm with God, with ourselves, and with others. In the beginning, the "conductor" (God) began assembling the band and putting the song together:

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness” (Genesis 1:1-4 NIV).

There was rhythm between God and humanity, between man and woman, and between man and himself. But then the song fell apart.

“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it” (Genesis 3:6 NIV). 

Every action has consequences. Sin affects one thing; then it begins to affect another.

Our problems begin when we lose rhythm with God. We were designed to be in rhythm with Him. Sin breaks that rhythm.

Here's what's interesting (and where we will leave off for today): When Adam and Eve disobeyed in the garden, God didn't simply walk away, He went looking for them! (see Genesis 3:8-9)

We were created to be in rhythm with God, to walk in step with Him. Micah 6:8 says, "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." 

Are you feeling like your life is just out of sync? You, my friend, might have a rhythm issue bigger than just the circumstances around you. What is we began asking the question "Is my life in rhythm with God?" before we began asking so many why's? It might put things into perspective.

(Next week we'll take a closer look at what it means to be in rhythm with God)