Are you feeling…
Maybe you are wrestling with…
|
Jesus was a man totally at rest.
|
WHY ‘RHYTHMS OF GRACE’?A few years ago I felt a strong compulsion to start recording the many lessons learned on my faith-journey. After talking it through with the Lord (otherwise known as praying), I woke up one morning with a phrase running through my head, and the clear conviction I was to set up a website with the name ‘Rhythms of Grace: A Journey into Rest’; and ideas started to flow regarding its content. Then a few days later, I came across The Message Translation of Matthew 11:28 (see above) which I had never read before, and found that the verse fits the theme perfectly!
Eugene Peterson (The Message) captures something perfectly in his interpretation. |
‘Rhythm’ is derived from the Greek word for ‘flow’. We often talk about rhythm in connection with a dance. While there is opportunity for spontaneity and self-expression, it is the music which gives the channel to flow in. We are invited into the great dance of Heaven, to let the music of Heaven fill us, with the Holy Spirit as our partner.
|
Rhythm is a repeated sound. Throughout the Bible there is the sound of the Voice of God calling us into relationship; words of love and belonging; a Voice telling us who we are, and what we can be. This journey is not just about right practices or beliefs; it is about responding to a real voice; having an encounter with a real person. We are passionately loved, and despite all our failures and shortcomings, a way has been made for us to live in intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father.
Rhythm is a repeated pattern. And one of the primary repeated patterns in Scripture is the provision of God. Over and over we see the promise of His supply—material, physical, spiritual and emotional—and the outworking of it in the lives of ordinary people. The measure of rest we have in our lives is equal to our understanding of that provision—which had its ultimate fulfilment in Jesus—and we are invited to take hold of everything His life, death, resurrection and ascension has purchased for us. Imagine: all our needs, past, present and future being met… |
FOUNDATIONS FOR REST:Jesus lived in an internal place of rest. To live the same way, we need to deal with the underlying causes for our inner disquiet.
So this is where the journey begins: a series of pages to establish a sound basis for a rest-filled life. Take a look, even if it’s familiar territory; revisiting truth often results in fresh revelation.
|
CREATING NEW MINDSETS:Jesus lived in total harmony with His Heavenly Father. If we are to live in rest and peace, we also have to align ourselves with Him; which means, in order to change the way we live, we have to change the way we think—and speak.
|
THE PRIVILEGE OF KINGDOM LIVING:Out of Jesus’ inner rest flowed a life of incredible fruitfulness. Our end goal is not the rest of inactivity, but to live productive lives in the Kingdom; to live the lives we were created to live. These pages give help and inspiration for the journey of faith—life in the Spirit’s flow…
|
DEVELOPING LIFE RHYTHMS:Grace is all about what God does in and for us, rather than what we do for Him. We are to live from the inside-out, from the Spirit’s life-flow. So the Life Rhythms in this section are offered not demanded; possibilities not requirements, kingdom gateways not straitjackets…
|
All text and photographs,
unless otherwise credited © rhythmsofgraceuk.org All rights reserved. |
**The owner of this website, www.rhythmsofgraceuk.org is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Programme. This is an affiliate advertising programme which earns fees for sites which advertise and link to products supplied by Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, and amazon.co.uk.
Please note: commissions are supplied by Amazon; there are no hidden costs for visitors to this website, and all resources shown are genuine recommendations, |