12/23/2021
The Rhythm of Grace... - Jim Crumbley
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 11:29-30
- recover -1. find or regain possession of (something stolen or lost). 2. return to a normal state of health, mind, or strength.
- rhythm - a regular, repeated pattern of sounds or movements
- grace - 1. the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings. - 2. simple elegance or refinement of movement.
Many of us live life on the cusp of anxiety. To combat this tendency, we will quote scripture and believe that God has a plan for us...God wants to prosper us...and God has for us a hope and a future but our pattern is to return to the fountain instead of being of the fountain. We come to Jesus to be filled, again and again, when His promise is that in Him, we are COMPLETELY filled.
Being part of the fountain is to live our lives in the pattern, the rhythm that Jesus lived. If we are observant, if we take care to listen and not go off beat, we can walk with Jesus and see how he stays in beat with the Holy Spirit.
A metronome is any device that produces regular, metrical ticks (beats, clicks) — settable in beats per minute. These ticks represent a fixed, regular aural pulse; some metronomes also include synchronized visual motion (e.g. pendulum-swing). The metronome dates from the early 19th century, where it was patented by Johann Maelzel in 1815.
Jesus used a spiritual metronome to stay in a three beat rhythm with God. For Him as for us, Jesus' metronome was SUBMISSION...not my will but yours be done." As it was for Jesus, so it is for us.
The Three Beat Rhythm of Submission
STUDY - Even the Son of God had to study the word of God to keep Himself on track. Satan tempted Jesus to go off beat and get out of sync with God's plan. The word is what Jesus used to stay in the unforced rhythm of grace and resist them temptation to go out on His own.
PRAYER - The gospels record a number of times where Jesus went off to pray. Prayer was where Jesus heard from God the father and expressed to God His hopes and desires for His people. Prayer was Jesus' one on one time with God. If you are not sure what to do, don't force the rhythm, just step into the rhythm by going off alone and pray.
MINISTER - The word "Minister" as a noun is a member of the clergy. But Jesus ministered as an action word, a verb where He would "attend to the needs of (someone)." The unforced rhythm of grace allowed Jesus to walk in his ministry by walking in service. Ministry was where Jesus taught, shared, loved, prayed for and healed "the multitudes" from the diseases and "the bad effects of their bad lives" out of the abundance of His study and prayer life.
Jesus' promise is that if we get away with Him we will recover our lives...our hopes...our dreams...and our peace. We can't get there by walking to the beat of our own drum but only through the syncing of our heart with God's. by watching Jesus and walking out the three beat rhythm of submission.