Living in Rhythm 
This devotional was written by Mike DeVries 

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 10:10


Not long ago, a debate raged at our house. Who would win the current season of Dancing with the Stars? Was it going to be two-time gold medalist Apolo Anton Ohno? Or was it going to be Joey Fatone, the former Backstreet Boy?

Now from the very beginning of the competition, I was an Ohno guy. He just looked so smooth, so connected with his partner. When he and his partner stepped onto the dance floor, there was this sense that, not only was he enjoying every minute of the competition, he also had some serious coordination and rhythm.

All this got me thinking one day. I think one of the reasons our family is drawn to the show is that the beauty of the movement captures us all. There’s something attractive, even inviting, about seeing people moving in grace-filled rhythm with the music being played, using their bodies to interpret and bring to the music a whole new sense of meaning.

So I started to wonder... isn’t that what we all want to experience in our lives? Don’t we all want to experience the joy of living and moving in grace-filled rhythm, in tune with something larger than ourselves? Don’t we all want the sense that we are living and moving in perfect rhythm to the song being played?

When Jesus walked this earth, He told those who followed Him that He had come so that they might have life, real and eternal life – the kind of life that they were meant to live. It was if there was this perfectly-crafted song, the beautiful rhythm of life in God, and Jesus was inviting people to not only hear the song, but also begin to move and live in the rhythm of the song.

What I’m beginning to understand is that Jesus came not merely to talk about the life I will have someday, somewhere else. He came to show me what it means to live now, in rhythm with the song that has been playing since the foundation of the world – the beautiful rhythm of life in God. Love. Grace. Generosity. Embrace. Forgiveness. Compassion. Servanthood. Dignity. Honor. Justice. Beauty. Healing.

When we choose to live in these sorts of ways, we begin to move in rhythm with the song. We begin to find our meaning and being in our Creator, the composer of the song. We begin to live the life, real and eternal life – the life Jesus came to show us and to die for so that we could hear the music... and dance the dance.

To comment on today's devotional, click here.


       

GOING DEEPER:

In what ways are you living in rhythm with the life Jesus lived? Where are you out of rhythm, out of step?

FURTHER READING:

John 10:1-10; 14:5-14


HomeWord
Encouraging Parents…Building Families

Other FREE resources from HomeWord and Jim Burns:
-
7 Minutes to Being a Better Parent
-Download HomeWord's daily broadcast
-Get your toughest parenting questions answered
HomeWord provides bottom-shelf, real-life, practical resources ranging from 411 (information) and 911 (crisis resources) to help parents.