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For the earth
shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters
cover the sea. (Habakkuk 2:14)
News and Commentary
FYI
l
Quote of the Week: "I can think of nothing less pleasurable
than a life devoted to
pleasure."
-- John D. Rockefeller
Commentary by Michael Eddings
If you ever heard the phrase, ‘the
rhythm of the world’, any number of things may have come to mind. While it generally
refers to contemporary social trends or customs, it could easily be interpreted by those
in religious circles as indicating a secular viewpoint by which one is controlled or
influenced. But before I get caught in a semantic discussion I’d really like to
address another rhythm...being in step with God.
Preparing for this commentary brought back
thoughts of a road trip I took to Florida a few years ago. On the way back home, I
traveled an unusual route through several small towns. It just so happened that I got a
bit too familiar with local authorities that day when I was pulled over and ticketed for
speeding. Although I was guilty of the offense, it seemed strange that I would be singled
out amidst other drivers all around me, in front and back, going at the same pace. It
dawned on me then that perhaps the only unique feature of my car was the out of state
license tag attached above the rear bumper. Irregardless of the experience, I learned one
important lesson: if I had it to do all over again, I would do the same thing!
"Why"?, you ask. Because, whether the police officer realized it or not, I was
maintaining the tempo of everyone around me. And to do otherwise would have been more
hazardous to the public welfare than if I had been traveling 5 miles per hour less to obey
the speed limit. For then I would have been ignoring the rhythm of the world, or, in this
case, the flow of traffic. Imagine if I had tried to speed up to pass those in front of
me. The likely outcome would have seen me frustrated by cars acting as a moving obstacle
course. To decelerate, I could very well have created a log jam behind me, with limited
lanes for passing and drivers attempting to keep a faster pace.
Be that as it may, there are guidelines for
life found here. Often times, because our human nature and individual personality
dictates, we want to get out of step with our circumstances. Perhaps we are looking for a
good paying job in our field of expertise. We could force the issue and take a job outside
our vocation that offers competitive pay and uproot our families to relocate. But it may
be easier to invest in patience, stay where we are and allow an opening to come available
in short order. Either way we must understand what it reasonable and, more importantly,
God’s will. To force something to fit where it doesn’t is akin to wearing the
wrong size shoes–we will never be comfortable in them no matter how much we like
their style. (I could tell you a story about that, too.) In other instances, we can drag
our feet. The tempo of the Spirit may urge us to step up the pace, while we’re still
into the freeze mode. Sometimes aggressiveness may be in order. To resist the tempo is to
fight against what is the true beat of the soul.
Ultimately, we must come to the awareness
that, to live a Christian life, is to surrender our natural desires or even our
‘better judgment’ to be obedient to the Lord and to prosper that way he intends.
The record of Paul’s conversion suggests that, despite our own will, God has much to
say about the way we conduct our life. And in the end, it is futile to oppose him. To
behave otherwise is to dance the tango at a funeral or slow dance after a Superbowl win.
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