We were made for rhythm.
The rhythm is in us.
All of creation is filled with rhythm
Night and day
Beginnings and Endings
Seasons of winter/spring/summer and fall
Rhythm and pace and cadence are essential for a healthy balanced life.
GO TO THE RHYTHM MAKER
“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 learn to live freely and lightly.” – Matthew 11:28-29 (MSG)
THE PROBLEM
We are in “A Constant state of partial attention” – Huffington post
The song is written on your heart already ….may you live in tune with it.
How do I get in rhythm with your creator?
How can I mentor myself to have a heart that beats with the rhythm of His heart?
Jesus knew we would need help keeping in rhythm with God’s heart do he gives us a pattern of prayer that will help us keep in step with the heart of Father God.
Matthew 6:9-13 (NKJV) 9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
The is a rhythm a symmetry to the Lord’s prayer to will help us get in sync with the heart of Father God.
#1. THE UPWARD RHYTHM.
Vs. 9 – Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
prayer is the most powerful, intimate and wonderful activity in which a believer can engage. Jesus taught His disciples to begin their prayers by first seeking God’s face before looking for His hand.
Seeking HIM before seeking His blessings
A.B. SIMPSON [lyrics from his hymn, HIMSELF.]
Once it was the blessing,
Now it is the Lord;
Once it was the feeling,
Now it is His Word;
Once His gift I wanted,
Now, the Giver own;
Once I sought for healing,
Now Himself alone.
#2. THE DOWNWARD RHYTHM.
Vs. 9 – Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Teach me to value the things you value. I surrender my will to you. I say ‘yes’ to you and your plan for me before I even know the outcome because I trust that you know what’s best for me. Just as you are on the throne in heaven, I place you on the throne of my life…”
Pray something like – “God I’m tired of my kingdom. I’m tired of my economy that only values the strong, the rich, the influential, the good looking, those that have it put together, the powerful. I want to see your kingdom values in place. God, I want your pattern of values to be the pattern of values in my heart, in my home, in my workplace, in my school, in my neighborhood, in my church, in my family, in my city, in my world”
#3. THE INWARD RHYTHM.
Vs. 11, 12 – Give us this day our daily bread….And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
We can trust God to meet not just our physical needs, but also the needs of our souls.
Pray something like – “God, you gave the Israelites manna in the desert and provided for them in the most unlikely of places. I ask You to provide for me in such a way that brings you eternal glory, just as you did with manna. Forgive me for where I have grumbled even though you have provided. I ask for you to provide for me these needs that I have today:”
#4. THE OUTWARD RHYTHM
Vs. 13 – And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
This is where we ask Jesus to lead us – mentor us and teach us how to do life.
This is the part of the Lord’s Prayer where we ask God to protect us and use us as he leads us. “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Conclusion: Back to Matthew 11:28-29
THE UNFORCED RHYTHMS OF GRACE
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 learn to live freely and lightly.” – Matthew 11:28-29 (MSG)
“My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Jesus was speaking to people who understood “YOKES”
The yoke is understood as a “staff on the shoulders” (see Isaiah 9:4) in order to harness their power for pulling loads such as a wagon or plow. Hence, the two pictographs can also represent “the ox in the yoke”. Often two oxen were yoked together. An older, more experienced ox would be teamed up (yoked) with a younger, less experienced ox. The older ox in the yoke is the “strong authority” who, through the yoke, teaches the younger ox.
God is calling you do a field – a task – a purpose…but he is not calling you to do it all by yourself.
He is calling you to be yoked with him – the stronger, wiser, older one who will carry the weight and show you how to do life at his PACE, His CADENCE and His RHYTYM.
Rhythm (from Greek ῥυθμός, rhythmos, “any regular recurring motion, symmetry”
That is a picture of our life in America -We are in “A Constant state of partial attention”
But Hebrews 13:8 tells us “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
Walk with me – work with me —watch how I do it.
KEEP HIS PACE AND RECEIVE HIS PEACE.
UPWARDLY – DOWNWARDLY – INWARDLY – OUTWARDLY
LET US PRAY
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
stevelummer.com 