You
can always spot frequent flyers. We’re the ones who look bored in airports. We
chat casually about Hong Kong, Beijing and Delhi like a farmer chats about yield,
without a bit of pretentiousness, usually.
We have a rhythm as we travel. We need the right bag and seat assignment, like a toddler needs his bunny and Sheldon needs his spot. We pack a certain way, check in at a certain time and have rituals for time zone adjustment.
What’s really interesting is when two frequent flyers travel together for the first time. With one playing the Samba and the other Rockabilly, it can take some time for their rhythms to get in sync. Or worse, a frequent flyer with a novice, who can’t even find the downbeat.
The church is a place filled with people who have their own rhythm. Culture, family, history, gifting and personality all play a part in how we beat our drum. Our needs, perceptions, what's important to us, how we react to change and conflict are all different and lead to all kinds of problems.
Only when we sync our rhythm with God's can we achieve the unity Christ talks about in John.
The problem is, God's rhythm feels unnatural too. Our history tells us not to trust. Love always comes with strings. Culturally, forgiveness, grace and self-sacrifice are counter intuitive. They don't lead to happiness and fulfillment. I have to look out for myself.
Somehow, in the great diversity of humanity, we can find unity. It's there for us. Somehow, in the cacophony of billions of people playing their own tune, a melody can be heard. It's sweet and it's haunting, it's lovely and it's calling to us. We can sense it. Because somewhere deep in side, we know in his rhythms there is rest.
We have a rhythm as we travel. We need the right bag and seat assignment, like a toddler needs his bunny and Sheldon needs his spot. We pack a certain way, check in at a certain time and have rituals for time zone adjustment.
What’s really interesting is when two frequent flyers travel together for the first time. With one playing the Samba and the other Rockabilly, it can take some time for their rhythms to get in sync. Or worse, a frequent flyer with a novice, who can’t even find the downbeat.
The church is a place filled with people who have their own rhythm. Culture, family, history, gifting and personality all play a part in how we beat our drum. Our needs, perceptions, what's important to us, how we react to change and conflict are all different and lead to all kinds of problems.
Only when we sync our rhythm with God's can we achieve the unity Christ talks about in John.
The problem is, God's rhythm feels unnatural too. Our history tells us not to trust. Love always comes with strings. Culturally, forgiveness, grace and self-sacrifice are counter intuitive. They don't lead to happiness and fulfillment. I have to look out for myself.
Somehow, in the great diversity of humanity, we can find unity. It's there for us. Somehow, in the cacophony of billions of people playing their own tune, a melody can be heard. It's sweet and it's haunting, it's lovely and it's calling to us. We can sense it. Because somewhere deep in side, we know in his rhythms there is rest.
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