Today’s thoughts are born out of my own experiences of God’s ability to take the chaos of my life and bring it into a semblance of order and beauty. The result for me was the birth of a song called The Rhythm of Life. Read on to find out how the Lord brought my life into sync with the beat of His heart…
In Matthew 11:28-30 NASB, Jesus says, 28 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
Here’s that same passage in another translation:
“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. Walk with Me and work with Me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll live freely and lightly” The Message (a translation of the Bible by Eugene H. Peterson).
It seems I often go through trying times before a song is given. What is so awesome about God is the way in which He ties seemingly unrelated issues and episodes into one seamless act of love and nurturing - much like an orchestra conductor taking all the various instruments in the orchestra and, by his guidance, leads them all into perfect synchronization!
Many years ago, after a period of back to back ministry times, I began feeling used up and poured out – empty. Of course, the enemy tries to throw all kinds of lies our way during those times of weakness in an effort to get us to fall. On top of my weariness, came the lie that I was not needed. Another lie that soon followed was that no one appreciated me. Of course, those are lies, but Father God used them to reveal my self-pity and pride….and the fact that I need His grace more than ever. The above passage from The Message was the catalyst for the phrase in the song ‘rhythm of grace’. As I meditated on my need for God’s grace in the musical context of rhythm, this song was born! You can listen to it here: http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/the-rhythm-of-life/
I will bless the LORD who has counseled me;
Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.
I have set the LORD continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will dwell securely.
For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol;
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.
You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.
Psalm 16:7-11 NASB
Life is not easy at times. We all experience pain and sorrow from time to time. We all experience discouragement and loneliness from time to time. We all tend to take on and carry burdens we were never intended to carry from time to time. Due to my health crisis, I am having to learn all over again - every day it seems - how to release those cares of the world - the burdens of life - to Him. I often begin the day by doing that very thing.
“Lord, today I give you the burden of Parkinson’s Disease and trust You to carry me through.”
“Lord, right now I give the worries I have for my children and grandchildren to you and trust You to get them through.”
I am learning to see my life, in all of its facets, much like an orchestral symphony that has many different parts and instruments - sorrow, joy, suffering, ecstasy, pain, healing, temptation, and grace. From my human point of view it looks and sounds like chaos. It is when I allow Him to be the conductor that it all comes into sync, each part a facet of the bigger picture - the symphony called life. It is when we allow Him to show us His point of view we are able to see the symphony of our life and how He has used even the messy parts of our life and used them for our good and His glory. This is learning to live in the flow of the rhythm of God’s grace and life.
Rhythm can be syncopated and brisk, feeling out of control. Rhythm can be slow and steady, feeling peace and tranquility. Rhythm can be disrupted when we try to do our own thing while God is at work to bring the beat of our hearts into alignment with the beats - the rhythm - of His heart. Life is best lived to the beat of God’s heart…to the rhythm of life and grace as He sees it.
We really do have to let go of our burdens and let God have them or we will not survive. On the days when I am feeling the effects of Parkinson’s on my body, I let go and get in the flow of God’s grace and I am able to make it through even the times of suffering. God uses it for my good and for His glory…and the burden is shared.
Let me repeat the Message translation of Matthew 11:28-30 one more time just to encourage you with the need to share your burdens with Him…and then do what the verse suggests: let us learn to walk in the unforced rhythms of grace…let us allow Him to conduct the many facets of our life and create something beautiful of the chaos.
“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. Walk with Me and work with Me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll live freely and lightly”
Dennis Jernigan
Picture courtesy of https://pixabay.com/photos/concert-band-orchestra-conductor-662851/