What are some of the life’s most common rhythms and patterns?
Breathe in. Breathe out. Tha-thump, tha-thump, tha-thump. Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall… The tide comes in and tide goes out. The sun comes up and the sun goes down. The earth travels in a rhythm around the sun and the moon around the earth.
Psalm 33:6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made… ESV
Zephaniah 3:17 says God rejoices over us with singing.
I believe God didn’t merely speak // sing it into existence:
All matter in the universe is 99% empty space. If the nucleus of an atom were the size of a marble the electrons would be specks of dust a half mile away. Just think about outer space. Every physical thing has that much empty space in it. Inside that empty space is intelligence, frequency & rhythm.
This is why we see the rhythm of God in all creation. When we zoom into a microscopic level we find rhythm in these whirling electrons. When we zoom out into space we find rhythm as the moon is orbiting the earth and the earth is orbiting the sun. Galaxies revolve around each other as if they’re dancing on a galactic scale.
The Rhythm of God makes the world go around. Music has the ability to capture the essence of rhythm in a song that can seemingly take control of your life. Don’t act like the right song never turned you into a performer.
The influence of Music is different than the influence of Math. We make a mistake when we read our Bibles in more of a mathematical pursuit of facts and information. There are fascinating facts and information in Scripture, but the Bible is written more like music than math.
We see this right up front in the very beginning in the poetic nature of Genesis 1. God creates the sky on Day 1 and then populates the sky three days later on Day 4. God creates the water on Day 2 and then populates the water three days later on Day 5. God creates the land on Day 3 and then populates the land three days later on Day 6.
The Bible is more like Music than Math. Both religion and skepticism take a Mathematical approach to Scripture making room for accusation. The Pharisee makes accusation when fractional behavior doesn’t measure up to theological equations and religious conclusions. The unbelieving Skeptic does something very similar, but from a different point of view.
Tensions exist in Scripture. Math opposes tensions viewing them as a problem to be solved. Music embraces tensions as enhancements to the authenticity of what we feel. The Bible is more like Music than Math.
I’ll give you an illustration of a tension we find in the Bible. The book of Proverbs assumes a cause-effect relationship between virtue and blessing. In areas of money, relationships, speech or other areas of life, the more righteous you are, the better off you’ll be. This is beautiful and provides an unarguable religious equation until you read the book of Job. Job tells the story of a righteous man who suffers. It’s actually his righteousness that provokes his suffering.
This is a tension! The skeptic will view this as a mathematical tension using it to make accusation.
The Bible is more like Music than Math. Looking at these tensions from a mathematical perspective creates a problem that seemingly cannot be solved. However, if we look at what God is revealing from a musical standpoint we see something different.
In Music 1 – 3 – 5, like C, E and G form a C major chord.
When you move 3 to 4 you now have 1 – 4 – 5 and it is a suspended chord playing a note that doesn’t belong in the major chord. Think back to an old hymn you can remember when everybody ends singing the a-men, and the “a” is emphasized and held out on purpose. That is sung with a suspended chord.
In music, you don’t avoid tensions, you embrace them! You press into them. Any good music teacher knows that when you encounter a tension in music you should press into it, make it louder, feel it more. When you encounter these tensions in Scripture, press into the tension and feel more deeply what God is revealing.
Proverbs and Job, with tensions blaring, can help us live more fully in a world where virtue is often rewarded, but that formula can sometimes be disrupted.
This idea is unsettling and disruptive in the world of Math. This same idea is actually inspiring in the world of Music. The enemy wants to rob you of your rhythm in these moments of tension that exist in all of our lives.
Keep singing! Historians reveal Israel always lost song when captive.
Psalm 137:1-4 By the rivers of Babylon we sit down and weep.., for there our captors ask us to compose songs; those who mock saying: “Sing for us a song about Zion!” How can we sing a song to the Lord in a foreign land? (NET)
Our song is a weapon in the hand of God!
Isaiah 30:32 Every stroke the LORD lays on them with his punishing rod will be to the music of tambourines and harps, as he fights them in battle with the blows of his arm. (NIV)
David’s worshipful sound was a very powerful weapon.
1 Samuel 16:23 “…David would take the harp & play it with his hand and Saul would be refreshed and…the evil spirit would depart. NAS
Acts 16:25-27 about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing…NAS (foundations were shaken and the chains fell off, the guard woke up to the purposes of God.
When an encounter with God is coupled with a SUSTAINABLE RHYTHM, long-term transformation will result.
We can embrace the rhythm of God as a way of life if we develop patterns of pursuing God consistently. Day and night and night and day let incense arise!
If we could zoom in spiritually on a microscopic, daily level we could see micro-rhythms of the pursuit of God. These rhythms are a daily devotion like TURN THE PAGE. God’s plan is for you to discover a daily rhythm of pursuing God’s perspective as your own.
Here is a 60 second explanation of how to effectively embrace a daily rhythm that will not only impact your life but your legacy as well:
As we zoom out for a broader perspective, I encourage you to explore the history and context of each book as you progress along. Jesus is actually remarkably revealed in every book of the Bible. As you turn the page, you’ll come to the conclusion of 66 books. Each time you begin a book of the Bible, invest 30 minutes as you listen to how Jesus is uniquely revealed in the book you’re about to read. These messages speak to the history and context of each book of the Bible and will enrich your reading as you spend time alone with God.
Jesus in each book of the Bible
http://destinyokc.com/jesusinthebible
As we zoom out even further we want to look at not just a daily devotion, but an annual focus. Every year as we enter into the new year, we are thinking about new beginnings. The new year can bring a new normal and produce a new you. Move from a New Year’s Resolution to a New Year’s Revelation as you set things into motion in your pursuit of God with – build song lists, verses, etc to perpetuation the motion of God’s
The eternal rhythm of God is imparted into our lives as we make the time to be with him. We must not only read The Book but as we read we must learn to sit with The Author. Jesus, himself, will guide you through a daily pursuit by His Holy Spirit. In doing so you will develop a capacity to live in a state of constant communion with God your Creator!
Exodus 30:7 "Aaron must burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps. (NIV)
Exodus 30:8 He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so incense will burn regularly before the LORD for the generations to come. (NIV)
Psalm 141:2 May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice. (NIV)
Priests kept incense burning 24 hours a day in the temple. They would stir the coals in the morning and at night to keep a continual fragrance of prayer lifting up to God. This is how we should be. We need to come before God to have our coals stirred morning and night, so prayer emanates from our inner‑most being as incense to God.
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Ask God to give you your 2021 New Year’s Revelation. Please post your revelation on our DestinyOKC Facebook page to encourage others.
TRUE TREASURE: THE RHYTHM OF GOD
DISCUSSION GUIDE
Click here for a downloadable pdf file of this guide.
UNDERSTANDING THE SEASON: Our pursuit of God has, in many ways, been reduced to the pursuit of asking God to give us worldly treasure. The Kingdom of God is a sacrificial Kingdom that is built on the sacrifice of Jesus and the continued sacrifice of God’s sons and daughters.
We want to start our group meetings making room for conversation that brings confirmation that God is speaking to us all as we discuss what we are hearing from the Lord as a family:
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God?
Psalm 33:6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made… ESV
Since Zeph 3:17 reveals how God rejoices over us with singing it makes sense that God would have sang the world into existence. All creation has a rhythm to its existence and the origin of this rhythm is the very rhythm of God.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
2. What are some of the rhythms and patterns we commonly observe in the world around us every day?
3. What are some of the most common rhythms and patterns of your life personally?
Disruption that exists in the world and in our lives can easily be a distraction to our lives and our pursuit of God. The enemy wants to rob you of your rhythm in these moments of tension that exist in all of our lives. Keep
singing! Historians reveal Israel always lost their song when captive.
Ps 137:1-4 By the rivers of Babylon we sit down and weep.., for there our captors ask us to compose songs; those who mock saying: “Sing for us a song about Zion!” How can we sing a song to the Lord in a foreign land? (NET)
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
4. What does it take to keep your song alive in moments of difficulty or even crisis?
Our song is a weapon in the hand of God!
Isa 30:32 Every stroke the LORD lays on them with his punishing rod will be to the music of tambourines and harps, as he fights them in battle with the blows of his arm. (NIV)
Stay the course! Stay in the Word! Develop strong rhythms of the Spirit. If we could zoom in spiritually on a
microscopic / daily level this rhythm looks like our TURN THE PAGE CHALLENGE. God’s plan is for you to
discover your own rhythm of pursuing God’s perspective as your own. https://vimeo.com/166211868
As we zoom out I encourage you to explore the history and context of each book as you progress along.
Jesus is actually remarkable revealed in every book of the Bible. http://destinyokc.com/jesusinthebible
Every year as we enter into the new year we are thinking about new beginnings. The new year can bring a new normal and produce a new you. Move from a New Year’s Resolution to a New Year’s Revelation as you set things into motion in your pursuit of God with – build song lists, verses, etc to perpetuation the motion of God’s
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Ask God to give you your 2021 New Year’s Revelation. Please post your revelation on our DestinyOKC facebook page to encourage others.