HomeWord - June 25, 2015

Rhythm

This devotional was written by Mike DeVries

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. 
—John 10:10

I was talking with a friend about rhythm. Both of us are huge music fans, so the discussion started with our exploring what the other person had in his iTunes collection. As we went through each other’s collection, the discussion moved from musical tastes, to favorite bands, to songs that, in our humble opinions, are “flat-out amazing.” As we listened to each other trying to describe what moved us about certain songs, we kept saying, “I can’t describe it. You just need to hear this song.”

Music has a way of moving us, changing us. Sounds played in a certain rhythm, with words that capture our thoughts and emotions. For anyone who is a music fan, you know when a song comes together… and you know when one doesn’t. You know when it’s in rhythm, or whether it’s out of rhythm.

Our lives are similar, aren’t they? You just know when you are living life in a good rhythm. It may be hard to describe, but you just know it. You can feel it. It just works together. At the same time, you can feel when your life is out of rhythm. It feels forced. You feel drained. You keep asking yourself, “Why is life so hard right now?”

One day, Jesus is walking with His disciples and makes this astounding statement, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” In essence, Jesus is saying, “I came to show you how to live, really live. I came to show you how to live in rhythm with God—a life both now and forever more.” Jesus came, not only to open the door that we may be reconnected to God; He came to show us the very best way to live in the here and now—a life in rhythm with how the Creator wired us to live.

Perhaps that’s why when we live as Jesus lived—a life of love, grace, and generosity—we feel that we are tapping into something beautiful, something that feels right. This is the way God wired you to live. To live in any other way would be out of rhythm with how we were designed by our Creator.

Today, may you choose to live deeply in rhythm with how God created you to live: A life lived in the way of Jesus, empowered by His Spirit.

GOING DEEPER:

Take a piece of paper and write out a half dozen ways in which you could live in rhythm with how God created you today. Keep the list with you as you go through your day.

FURTHER READING:

John 14:5-13 

Sign up here for Parenting Resources and other HomeWord publications.