The Rhythm of Life

If you haven’t heard yet, I’m teaching a dance class. The questions and ‘concerns’ about this endeavor have been downright entertaining. “Are you qualified to teach dance?” “Who taught you?” “Are you really going to dance?” “Are you really going to make me dance?” “What does dancing have anything to do with God?” “Are you serious . . . dance . . . on Sunday?”

Have you ever found yourself singing out loud to yourself and even dancing? Have you ever felt like you just need to move? Don’t you have that song or artist that just gets you out of your chair? Your feet start tapping, your body starts swaying, etc.?

Do you know (and feel) the rhythm of creation?

God made the two great lights – the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night – and the stars. God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, to rule over the day and over the night . . . (Genesis 1:16-18a)

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance . . .
(Ecclesiastes 3:1-4)

Spring reminds us of this rhythm of life. Plants are sprouting. The rich color of green covers our landscapes. Birds are returning (and singing). The rhythm is driving us outside and we see an increased spurt of activity – raking, mulching, spring cleaning, planting, watering, discarding, etc.

Think about your typical day: rest – rise – eat – work – eat – work – eat – play – rest. Now John’s rhythm is different than mine but he has a rhythm: rest (not enough) – rise (too early) – eat – play – eat – play – eat – play – rest.

Take any of us out of our rhythm and it may seem nice for a while, but there is something inherent in each of us about keeping this rhythm. Remove eating or resting and it becomes even more pronounced.

Think about the seasons. Spring (planting/new life) – summer (growing) – fall (harvest) – winter (dying/rest).

Think about relationships: It is not good for man to be alone. (Genesis 2:18) We are created to be in relationship. There are important rhythms we have in relationship. We need to love and be loved. We need to give and to receive. We need to listen and be heard. We need help along the way. We really are out of sync when we are out of relationship both with each other and especially with our Creator.

Because there is a rhythm, there is an opportunity to dance. In fact, I would suggest that God created us to dance to the rhythm of His creation. And when we dance to His rhythm, we experience a freedom unlike anything else we’ll ever experience.

Have you ever felt that freedom when you dance? Have you ever experienced that joy and abandonment when you’ve just let your body move to the music?

Although God is probably not asking us to gyrate our bodies throughout each day, He is inviting us to move to the rhythm He has created within creation and which He has instilled within us.