The Rhythm Within the Rhythm.

When hearing a pastor speaking and teaching about the rhythm of Grace; teaching on how when he looked at a very full schedule for a very new year he wrote   (Rhythms of Grace) on that schedule,  the Lord brought to my mind lessons taught to me many years ago. As a riding instructor, using my favourite sport to teach children, and often adults, how to ride horses, it is a pastime based on rhythm.

The dream of riding a horse so often seems to be so far out of reach for many children, and here I was with horses who were kind, and available to be ridden.  When a child first sits on a horse, they are filled with wonder, fear, excitement, awe, and a desire to move forward. Just like we are when we first come to faith.

When the children first came to me for lessons, they were usually around four or five, just as we are when we first begin to hear and understand the stories of scripture. They were called the tumbleweed class, because that’s what they did, they tumbled around the teaching arena, relying completely on the grace of well-trained ponies. When we first begin to learn scripture, we do so by grace which allows the lessons to be written on our hearts, and with the help of well trained teachers.

When we first believe, we go at the walking pace, just as the tumbleweed does, one two three four, slowly through the scriptures, finding our own pace, but learning to go with the horse, learning to understand the scripture. Then it becomes more exciting, we trot. One two, one two, rise, sit, rise sit. So much more in time with the horse, a little more control on our part. One two, one two. Its so exciting. That’s how we work through the scriptures, discovering so many new things, often out of control, often with misunderstanding, often without any sort of rhythm, but that’s why we have been discipled, to have someone to teach us. That’s why they had a riding instructor.

Then comes that day, the day the instructor dreads, that day the pupils look forward to so much, we are doing the canter.  One, two, three, pause. One, two, three, pause. The pause is that moment of time, when you and your horse are suspended in mid-air, where you fall off or you go forward. The instructor is no longer walking beside you, they are running. Lean back, lean back. Uh oh, but they get back on and go again, and then they get it, this whole new rhythm. Still dictated by the horse, but with much more rider control. They are learning discipline, they are learning self-control, this is the same as the appearance of the fruit of the spirit as the disciple takes into their heart the scripture. Then the riders begin to gallop, no longer able to be held by the instructor, off by themselves with the wind in their faces, off to other things. This is the place where the rider has to make decisions about their future, as does the scripture student. Bible college, other courses, a stronger walk with God. They have their knowledge, they have their own gifting’s, they have to find their own direction. This is usually where the teacher lets go, and lets God. We will always be there, but the decisions are now for the pupil alone.

This is a place where many people choose to stay. I can ride a horse, I can read my bible, I am ok for the rest of my life. Equipped to handle anything that comes my way.  But are they? Have they received the grace that is for them to walk in.

Let’s look at the ones that go on.

Let’s look at the one, the equestrian, who decided to carry on and do dressage, a very demanding riding discipline. Let’s see them ride into the arena to ride a test. Their appearance is perfect, their horses are perfect, groomed from ears to hoofs. All things to be noted by the judge. They ride their first test. They are terrified of making mistakes, and they do. Once again just like learning the scriptures. When you realize the awesomeness of God, and just who the Almighty is, the One who is always watching. Are we getting it right, or are we failing the test. Have we found grace yet, yes they have found it, but have they fully accepted it?

As they go on with their sport, as they exact their craft, just as we exact our walk through the scriptures, they become more comfortable with who they are, and with what they are doing. Still they worry about how well they are doing, what the spectators are thinking, what they look like. But then comes the day, that day, when all the disciplines are written on their hearts, just like the seasoned pupil of the scriptures. They ride into that arena, they salute the judge, and then they begin to ride. That instructor of old leans forward and smiles as the culmination of all that work suddenly becomes apparent. Nobody exists for the rider but them and that horse. It doesn’t matter what anybody thinks, it doesn’t matter if they win or lose, they have found that rhythm within the rhythm, it’s called cadence and it is beautiful to behold, not always apparent to the person it is resting upon, but very apparent to the spectators. It is so often obvious in the Pastor who is up there sharing the word of God. And so it is when we suddenly realize who we are with God, when we feel that warmth of Grace, when the scriptures are written on our hearts. When it doesn’t matter what anybody thinks, because we know what God thinks, we know who we are in God, and that’s all that matters. 

What is that fine line between riding or walking in our own strength, and finding that rhythm within the rhythm, it is a matter of not just knowing the disciplines, not just knowing the scriptures, it is a matter of applying them to your own life. And here we can find it in Deuteronomy 28:1

Blessings Amplified. One New Man Bible. Used by Permission.

Deuteronomy 28:1. “And it will be, if you will listen diligently to the voice of the LORD* your God, to observe to do all His commandments which I command you this day, that the LORD* your God will set you high above all nations of the earth 2. and all these blessings will come upon you and overtake you, if you heed the voice of the LORD* your God.

Do you want to be overtaken by Grace? I do

When the pastor wrote (Rhythms of Grace) on a very busy schedule, he wasn’t claiming anything, he wasn’t doing something in faith, he was simply declaring who he was in God because he knows who he is in God. If he has been given these tasks to complete, then he also knows that the grace to complete is his. He has found the rhythm within the rhythm,