Tangible Kingdom (Week 8 Day 3) “Rhythms”
August 3rd, 2009 § 2 Comments
Wow. Here’s a thought from Susana Fletcher (ANC’er) on today’s reading. Good stuff:
I heard a teaching once on God’s war strategies. The reading today reminded me of it. When thinking of “artful rhythm”, it’s mind-blowing to think of God’s war tactics. I mean, think about poor Gideon, commissioned to fight the Midianites (Judges 7-9). God told him to get rid of 31,700 of his 32,000 men. Take the 300 men, blow some trumpets and break some jars. Trust me. Ooookaaaaaaaaay…
And on the softer side, there was a great man and Christian speaker named Art Katz. He was Jewish, and when reading the New Testament for the first time, he was on pins and needles at every turn, wondering what Jesus would do next. He found Jesus’ ways so contradictory to what he expected. He was amazed. The one story that “sealed the deal” for him was of the woman being stoned in John 8. After reading the line where the Pharisees were trying to trick Jesus: “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”, Art put down the bible and walked away for a time. He tried to think what he would do. When he read Jesus’ response about throwing the first stone, and how he spoke to the woman, “Then neither do I condemn you… Go now and leave your life of sin,” he was convinced. God’s ways are higher than ours, and this guy Jesus, pretty smart.
There’s tons of examples of God’s creativity. I guess one way of getting into the “artful rhythm” is to meditate on some of these examples. That way, when God prompts us to do something… unconventional… we react by thinking, “Yeah, that sounds like something God would do.”
The thing I think about when I think of rhythm…is my lack of it while dancing. I wish I could float around…and spin Jenny…and glide to the rhythm…..but I am more of a toe stepper onner.
The more I think about it….the more “off the beat” I become…and I must “re-listen” for the beat. I can hear it….but I am easily caught up in my steps and what I have been taught….I haven’t done it enough to become fluid or natural in it.
As God has spoken into my life….and i find myself doing what I think God has called me to do….if I am not in tune constantly to God’s music….I can find myself out of step with God….even when I am doing what he called me to do years, months or even weeks ago.
I think about this study…and how I want to spend more of my time with those outside the church…than those inside the church, although my best friends are inside “the Church”. This has been an adjustment to God’s rhythm that I have recently (over the past year or so) heard.
i like that susana. what a great way to think of it. especially if you’ve been in one of those situations where you were like, “yeah, that sounds like something god would do.” i love how he works.