Step in the Rhythm of the River

S t e p  I n  T h e   R h y t h m  O f   T h e  R i v e r

What beat are you swaying to? What harmony are you humming to? So many things cause our attention to drift in all sorts of areas and not all of them should the soles of our feet touch. Do you follow the beat that is causing you pressure? The one that is building up with suspense as it leads into a final peaking moment? Or are you tapping your foot to the very breath of the world just beneath the surface. The one that resonates in your heart and mind and very spirit.

R H Y T H M….n o u n: “The pattern of regular or irregular pulses caused in music by the occurrence of strong and weak melodic and harmonic beats.”

Stop. Wait. Listen.

 

What do you hear? What’s going on around you…inside of you? Are you stressed…anxious…nervous… afraid. Is there movement around you? People busy with their own to do lists and thoughts not looking up from their downloaded world that’s in the palm of their hand?

 

Take a moment to be at peace. To be still.

Step into the river with me for a beat of time. Feel the flowing water around you as you’re in at your ankles. As you reach out with your hand and sweep it across the surface of the water…what do you notice? Do you hear the rushing of the waterfall that is just downstream. As the wind stirs and takes leaves with it into the water and rustles your hair…lean in. Lean in to the current and see how it makes it way towards the banks of the shore drawing the sand and the rocks into its embrace.

 

That is what the King does with his children…He draws us towards his peace and stillness. Yet…there is an under-laying current just beneath the river’s surface that is strong and passionate.

It’s an age-old song and a dance.

 

One where he wants your right foot in front of your left moving in rhythm with his own.

It’s a song that beats to a rhythm that is older than time itself and each time your footstep matches his own his glory light shines through you in companionship.

So? What beat are you going to dance? Dancing itself requires a partnership of one leading another. You both cannot lead or else there is cause for chaos. You can come just as you are…it’s a no training kind of event because you have the beat inside of you. You were born with it. Everything you are moves to the sound of the voice inside. Like the trees sway to the wind and the leaves stir off the ground like they’re being caressed, your spirit responds to the still small voice deep within. He desires to be hand in hand with you.

 

Yet, you have the ability to let someone or something cut in at any time. You can choose to be in close intimacy and relationship…or you can allow things to come in between you. It can create a gap, and what you allow in that gap can change the rhythm of your dance in a blink of an eye. What is the thing that has made its way in your gap? Is It work…is it friendships… addiction…pride…stubbornness…TV…books…school? I am not saying that all these things are “evil” and we can’t enjoy watching TV, reading books or having friends, that would just be more rules that we don’t need. However, when we allow these things in the spot where Jesus should be then we are not doing ourselves a favor. We are instead hindering our connection with the lover of our soul who’s only desire is to be right in front of us in a place of R E L A T I O N S H I P. We have a heavenly father who is crazy about his kids. He is constantly chasing after us. He never gives up, never tires out. When it comes down to it, it is us standing on the edge of a dance floor with our toes on the line. Staring at his out reached fingers, wiggling, as he calls us to him. He will not force you. He will not guilt you….He will not pull you into something that you are not willing to do or throw you in the deep end. He waits for you to put that first foot out onto the floor. To step out into the river and let him guide you through the rhythms of his love that rest in his eternal embrace. So what is the beat you are dancing to? Who are allowing on your dance card.

Caity~