The Grace in Rhythm

I enjoy reading books on organizing and time management, to catch some inspiration, jot down ideas and implement the ones that I think may help me be more organized and efficient. Many of these books talk about balance. Achieving a work/life balance for a working parent in today's age is unattainable. Even if the scales are momentarily balanced, it is only a matter of time that one side comes crashing to the ground. Martin Copenhaver, in a daily devotional that comes to my email inbox, remarks that the Bible never talks about the importance of being balanced people. What it does encourage, he reminds us, is rhythm. The rhythm Jesus modeled of spending time in ministry and then taking time apart to pray. The rhythm of six days of work and one of rest. The rhythm of creation. The rhythm of the seasons. The rhythm of breathing in and breathing out. The rhythm of birth and death. The rhythm that pulses through us and moves our bodies when we hear a musical beat that reaches into our souls.

The rhythm of our community of Eagle Harbor Church includes both coming together and being separate. Sometimes our time together is intense, and other times light-hearted and fun. Our worship service has a rhythm as well: Call to Worship, opening song, the Lord's prayer, Choir, etc. In The Harbor service, our second-Sunday, 11:30 gathering, the rhythm is quite a bit different. We tend to sing several songs in the beginning of the service, have a shorter time of proclamation, and incorporate more of the arts. The feel of our two services are different from one another--the rhythm is not the same--but one may resonate with the way you worship God more than the other. Rhythm has a quality that transcends explanation. Each one experiences it in a unique, God-inspired way.

As this new year begins, you may at times find yourself feeling overwhelmed with responsiblities. You may try for balance again and again, but stumble and fall. Let Jesus catch you. Move with the rhythm you hear, with God as your dancing partner. In the book of Ecclesiastes, we read, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” God did not create us to be able to do everything at once, balancing all facets of our lives simultaneously. Accept the gift, the grace, of rhythm.