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

The television series Dancing with the Stars is already in its tenth season, yet it remains extremely popular, consistently landing in the top 10 rated television shows each week. Over the years, the program has been a DeVries family favorite. 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.

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

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