There is rhythm to all of life set in motion by God.  In fact all of us as believers in Christ, are to dance to the beat of the same drummer.  In our experiences as humans in community with Jesus, we form a very large rhythm section under the guidance of the Spirit.  Each one of us also have a part to play in that rhythm, and at times can be out of sync with how God is at work in our lives.  We need rhythm in our life, it is a part of what sustains us. To follow God’s rhythm, we need also to pay attention and listen.

     In her book, Wisdom distilled from the Daily, Joan Chittister writing about Benedictine spirituality says,

Benedictine spirituality is about listening to four realities: the Gospels, the Rule, one another, and the world around us.  Most of us listen easily to one or two of these realities, but only with difficulty do we listen to all four.  We read the Scriptures faithfully but fail to apply them.  We listen to the needs of the poor but forget reading of the Gospel entirely.  We go to spiritual directors regularly but ignore or overlook the insights of the people with whom we live.  We prefer to hear ourselves than to listen to wiser hearts for fear they might call us beyond ourselves.  Benedictine Spirituality requires the medley.

     We require a medley as well.   Even if we don’t follow St. Benedict’s Rule, we need to have some pattern or routine as we move and grow in Christ.  It needs to be something that we follow daily that can be easily maintained with our often very full lives.  I encourage taking small steps and getting into a rhythm, and building from there.  Maybe it’s adding a prayer habit or an in depth study of scripture.  Just as long as you can keep it regular and it moves you forward in God.

     So what kind of spiritual rhythm, do you follow?  How does it inform and transform you,bringing you closer to Christ?

Picture: Awesome Rhythm Section, by Old Sarge