Catch the Rhythm of Rest

How do you feel about dancing? I love it. Weddings with a great DJ are my favorite. Or those spontaneous dances during timeouts at sporting events. Let’s go! 

I’m not saying I’m a great dancer. In fact, no one would say I’m a great dancer. But, I do know how to find a beat, and, as Gloria Estefan sang, “The rhythm gets me”.

Last Sunday, Pastor Jay taught about finding the beat, or the rhythm of life. He didn’t break out his dance moves, but he explained that connecting with God’s rhythms can give rest to a weary soul.

If you’ve ever danced a Texas two-step, tried a cha cha, or just enjoy tapping your foot, you know that keeping the beat is everything.  

Some dances require a close partner to help you glide effortlessly across the dance floor. You may have all the rhythm in the world, but a bad partner can mean stepped-on toes and throw off your whole groove.  

Other dances might be solo. A ballet leap across a stage, a head-spinning break dance, or the crazy fan-cam on the arena Jumbotron (it’s tough to hit a move with nachos in your hand). 

But no matter how you bust a move, you will need to hear the beat to really make it effortless and enjoyable.

Life is full of rhythms - school calendars, work cycles, holidays, family traditions. Often, they feel relentless, one rolling right into the next. Exhausting.

Those life rhythms can start to control us, but in Matthew 11, Jesus is asking us to let Him set the beat. 
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest... Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.”  
(MSG)

When we need a close up dance partner, He is there, leading. And when we venture out for a big solo, He is still there, conducting the beat just off stage.

The secret to finding our rest in Him is hearing His rhythm.

We can learn to tune in to His cadence. Sometimes the rhythm is loud like a rock concert, but usually, it is soft; a gentle wave that we have to get very still to hear.

Just like a smooth slide across the dance floor, connecting with that rhythm is what gives us rest; a peace that comes from joining with the symphony of the Creator.

C.S. Lewis wrote, “In Christianity God is not a static thing–not even a person–but a dynamic, pulsating activity … Almost, a kind of dance.” 

Connecting with God’s rhythms in our lives thru daily prayer, weekly worship and service, along with the yearly times of remembrance, we begin to hear the beat. Relying on His timing brings rest.

So when life gets noisy or your feet get tangled, pause. Get still. Listen. And when you hear His beat, don’t be afraid to dance.


Reflections on Rhythm

• What daily or weekly rhythms help you stay connected to God's presence, and which ones might be pulling you away?

• When life feels overwhelming or out of sync, how can you pause and tune back in to the "unforced rhythms of grace"?

• Do you trust Jesus to lead, even when you don’t know the steps? What might it look like to follow His lead more closely this week?