10-22-2021

 Good Morning All!

Genesis 1: 13; “And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.”

    Have you ever stopped and thought about the rhythm that exists in the Bible? It starts at the very beginning of the Bible; the rhythm flows “the evening and the morning.”  There is an ebb and flow, a comfortable movement within Scriptures. The seasons, planting and harvest, the years, the lunar movement, and the tidal movement all show a rhythm; a steady comfortable beat; a pulse. Our heart, our breathing shows a rhythm, a flow at ease with our very existence, is essential to our core being.

    The thing about our rhythm that is really noticeable is when we are out of rhythm or out of sync.  We all feel that certain sense of discomfort, a sense of life amiss when the rhythm of our life is disrupted. This is one thing that the devil and the world and our sinful nature really tries to cause: a disruption in our rhythm. Think of how the Bible describes creation before sin. It is very good, perfect, in total sync with perfect rhythm.

    Yet when sin entered the world; the rhythm was attacked and completely disrupted. The perfect “ebb and flow” was replaced by too high of highs and too low of lows. Comfort and peace are replaced by seeking to balance two extremes. The emptiness which the world creates around us twists our healthy rhythm for a very unhealthy one.

    We become ruled by tyrants; tyrants whose names are too busy, too urgent, too frantic, too anxious, too fearful, too selfish. These create unhealthy, sinful rhythms which destroy. They destroy our relationships because we have no balance instead of a rhythm, we are simply adrift. All the time, the rhythm of our relationship with our friends and neighbors, the rhythm with our family and the rhythm of our relationship with God are all disrupted; maybe even destroyed.

    Yet God sent Jesus into the world to restore the rhythm. Jesus restores us to God’s family where we can enjoy God’s rhythm. Instead of sinful man’s frenetic pace which only destroys, we have God’s rhythmic action of “thank and praise” “serve and obey.”  We can return to the rhythm of speaking to God and listening to God of praying and reading God’s Word. We can return to the rhythm of worship and service. All our relationships strengthen and grow by the rhythmic breathing in God’s grace and mercy and breathing out the works which he has laid out for us to do. The rhythm of God’s love returns and flows throughout our life bringing us the comfort of His Spirit and His peace.

Lord of Creation, create in us a new rhythm of life composed of hours that sustain rather than stress, of days that deliver rather than destroy, of time that heals rather than harms. To our overcrowded calendars let us say “Peace;” to our over-caffeinated consciences let us say “Cease;” to our suffocating selves Lord, grant us release. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret