“It comes the very moment you wake up each morning. All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists simply in shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in. And so on, all day. Standing back from all your natural fussings and frettings; coming in out of the wind.” C.S Lewis, Mere Christianity. 

A few years ago on our church weekend in Lenchwood,  I decided to show off my percussionist skills. For some reason I decided to play drums during worship.

I can’t play drums.

In particular I went for the clashing, crashing cymbal at key moments during the song.

Actually they were my key moments. Not the key moments of the song.

My friend Tim (a real drummer) gracefully encouraged step away from the kit, he took over from me – and the congregation breathed a sigh of relief.

No one mentioned that moment. Thank you church.

My rhythm was right off. My rhythm declared ‘focus on me’.

Musically when we force the rhythm, it becomes out of sync and loses it’s character, its beauty.

But when you find that rhythm…

It’s what known as – being in the groove. When you find it you feel obligated to stay in it.

Now I might not be a drummer, but I am a runner, I ran 10km last week. It took me a while to find my running groove but when I did, I stayed in it.

The unforced rhythms of grace. The groove. A place we are called to live.

Our high wired life is a starting point for rhythm robbing. I read an interesting article here: He writes ‘With the onslaught of communications we all receive every day, we sometimes have to work hard to make some more spaces in our lives — and for good reason. Staying “wired in” too much increases allostatic load, a reading of stress hormones and other threat responses. We are ready with our fight or flight response — great in the past for running away from tigers, but today it creates an artificial sense of constant crisis. So we are locked in continual partial attention. Or continual partial inattention….

….So breakout! Breathe deeply. Float in the pool. Beat a drum. (I’ll stick to bongos) Fold laundry (that’ll make a change) As the 12-steppers put it, “Let go and let God.” Find those unforced rhythms of grace. Countless possibilities emerge, but the key is to do something completely different. Then the stress function is relieved and creativity emerges.’

Josiah seems to have his summer rhythm.

I chatted with a friend today who finds herself in a place of chaos this week. Peace robbed. Joy stolen. Circumstances and life have become that cymbal crashing in her ear. Drowning out the peace she has fought for.

A familiar story those noisy cymbals.

Jesus loves to break through the din, with this…

“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.”

I pray for your days:

of holidays and graduations.

of feeling overwhelmed.

of uncertainty and unrest.

of high wired intensity.

of floods and loss.

of your identity passing you by in a torrent.

…when the noise is just too much.

I pray that whatever you are facing that will know Jesus close.

That you will learn to keep company with Him.

That you will learn the unforced rhythms of grace.

Amen.

 Time to get your groove on.

You are so loved.

Michelle xoxo.