Unforced Rhythms of Grace
I love when God uses the everyday things right around us to speak truth into our hearts. We’ve had our new puppy, Dahlia, for a month and God has been using her to illustrate quite a few valuable lessons to me lately.
I also have two other dogs. Lilly is a sweet but crotchety 12 year old dog and Rosie is our snuggly but highly anxious 4 year old dog. All that to say, they’ve both been a part of our family for quite a while and they’ve learned and settled into the rhythms of life in the Schaeperkoetter family.
The two older dogs know that at 5 am I roll out of bed, stumble to the kitchen, flip on the coffee pot and let it brew while I take them outside into the early morning dawn. Then we all sleepily make our way to the couch and settle in. I drink my coffee, pray, journal, and read my Bible. They curl up and snore quietly on the couch beside me.
It’s a time of stillness, refreshment, and silence that allows me to begin my day nestled into God’s loving embrace. From there, I can move forward into my day from a space of calm, peace, strength, and presence.
But Dahlia, our new puppy, is just beginning to learn the rhythms of life as a Schaeperkoetter.
She likes to whine to go out to potty at about 4:45, and although that’s only 15 minutes before my alarm those are 15 minutes I deeply cherish. She’s excited and flailing when I pick her up from her kennel to take her out into the early morning. She licks my face and wiggles and happily yaps before I’ve even had a change to hit start on my coffee maker.
She wants to sprint around the yard and bite the heads off the roses and chase her sisters in the dark, dewy early morning.As I pour my coffee she licks my ankles and runs circles around my feet. As the two older dogs and I quietly settle into the couch, she playfully nips at their ears and tries to entice them to play.
She’s a little wild and restless.
She doesn’t know or value the rhythms.
She hasn’t settled into the patterns just yet, so I toss her a toy and patiently redirect her when she tries to nibble my toes or pounce on her sleeping sisters.
I can’t force her to be still with us. I’ve tried. She has to desire it for herself. And it’s been a process, but she’s learning. This morning something shifted.
As we moved to the couch, she didn’t wrestle or play. She moved to join us. She curled in beside me on the couch and she nestled into my side. She’s learning it’s a safe space, a comforting space, a space of love, and a welcoming space.
In truth, it took me a while to come to the place where I desired to be still in the safe and welcoming presence of the Comforter and the Lover of my soul, too.
I’ve always been a little wild and restless. I didn’t know the unforced rhythms of grace either.
But as I’ve grown up in the faith some, I realized that there are patterns I can build into my life that help me to settle into life as a beloved daughter of the King. I’ve learned there are rhythms that can help me to stay deeply connected into the family of God.
God has patiently directed and redirected me back towards Himself. He has lovingly and patiently invited me to choose to be with Him. He’s opened His arms to welcome me into His embrace every time I’ve come into His presence.
Maybe you’ve been a little wild and restless, too. Maybe it hasn’t felt safe or easy to nestle into God’s embrace. Maybe you haven’t learned the rhythms of being in His family and spending time with Him. Maybe you don’t even know if you desire to be still with Him, talk with Him, and walk with Him just yet.
That’s ok.
He’s patient.
He’s loving.
He’s safe.
He’s welcoming.
And His arms are open to you.
Ask Him what it could look like for you to come into His presence and find your place curled into the warmth of His embrace.
And if you need some help, we’d love to help you take some steps that direction. And if you’ve been His child and a part of his family for a while, but you’re struggling to figure out how to find a daily rhythm that could help you find a more deeply connected relationship with God, we’d love to help you with that, too.
Matthew 11:28-30: The Message
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Prayer:
Father, Son, and Spirit, You invite us into your warm and loving embrace. You long to welcome us into your presence because you love us. God, we can't always understand the depth of your love, but we can choose to enter into it, to rest in it, and to build rhythms into our lives that help us to stay firmly rooted in it. Help us to long for time with you. Teach us to order our days in ways that create space for you. Draw us in with your love. Amen.
Scripture for Meditation:
Romans 8:38-39 "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Journal Reflection:
When you think of being still with God, what feelings, thoughts, sensations, resistance, or invitation do you feel? Talk to God about it. Ask Him to create that desire in you.
Practice:
Take some time this week and spend 10 minutes in silence with God. Meditate on Romans 8:38-39. If it's helpful, write that verse on a notecard and keep it in front of you. Think about God's love for you. You might let your mind think on other scripture verses, song lyrics, or even experiences that remind you of His love. If your mind drifts away from this topic, gently redirect it back into focusing on God's love. Be gracious with yourself. This is harder than it sounds.