Patterns in the Bible and life keep us in sync with God.
Anyone who knows me knows that I am rhythmically challenged. Whenever I lead a song on the guitar, people don’t know when to come in or when I will come in, and when there is a new stanza, anticipation brews— will he get it right? Nah, probably not. Every so often, I surprise others and myself. I’ve always been this way, and nothing earthly can change it. I don’t even try anymore. Perhaps my being rhythmically challenged explains why I’ve been thinking about rhythms for a few years.
Rhythms are everywhere. Today I got out of Grand Central Station at 6:03 a.m. to head to morning prayer. On my two-block walk, I saw the same man unhitching his food stand from his SUV for a new day of work, greeted the same cashier at Starbucks who knew exactly what I wanted, and heard the same kind of blaring music in the background; today it was Justin Bieber’s “What Do You Mean?”—a catchy song, I have to admit.
As a minister, I see rhythms all over the place, such as in marriages. I see the initial joys of preparing for marriage, bliss on the wedding day, the inevitable first major conflict that may linger, reconciliation, and the cycle repeats. If the couple stays the course, they will realize that there are hidden rhythms in marriage as well. Love deepens, even after decades. Loving a person for 40 years might not sound exciting, but it is, and there is only one way to find out. These rhythms are reserved for and awarded to only those who walk down that path.
There are also rhythms in worship services and communities of faith; the best ones liturgically lead people through the story of redemption repeatedly – invitation and celebration, confession, forgiveness of sins, listening, ...
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