WALKING IN RHYTHM – Part Four

Cathryn Vitek   -  

For the past several weeks I’ve been writing about rhythm.

Rhythm is what makes it music instead of noise and is what gives our lives form instead of frenzy.

When God was about his creating activity, he created with rhythm.

“Evening passed and morning came” Genesis 1 tells us.

I love that God sort of holds everything in between.

Last year the GIFT* group I belong to explored Believe by Randy Frazee

and the most meaningful thing I took from that study was about rhythm.

I regret that I don’t recall the source he used, whether it was ancient Hebrew wisdom or

current thought based on ancient wisdom or something else.

I only know it was important enough for me to write down and tape it to my workspace:

The Hebrew Day Planner

10pm-6am: Sleep, restoration

6am-6pm: Work

6pm-10pm: Relationship hours

I think it’s brilliant!

A wonderful way to order our days

(and a wonderful tool for re-ordering them when life feels out-of-synch).

I would humbly propose a slight change to this rhythm, though.

I’d like to propose we add at least

a half-note rest (the musical kind)…

just a slight break…

to acknowledge the beginning of the new day

to thank God for holding things together during our sleep

and to invite him to guide us through the day.

“O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you as the day rises to meet the sun.” **

or

“Good morning, Jesus. I greet you. You greet me. The dawning of a new day.”+

 

And then

let the work of the day begin,

whether that work

continues for a bit in extended time of devotion

or shifts to the business of the day.

Taking just a breath….a heartbeat of time…

to center our thoughts on God

and offer our day to him

establishes just the right beat for the day.

                                                                      ❤

*a GIFT group is what we call small groups at Bethany. It’s an acronym for Growing In Faith Together.

** From Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals

+ From Richard Foster’s Prayers from the Heart (p. 42)

 

Walking in Rhythm – Part One

Walking in Rhythm – Part Two

Walking in Rhythm – Part Three

Walking in Rhythm, One Final Note