Keeping the beat is hard for me—especially if I’m trying to do something else, like singing. It’s easy to notice how bad I am at our 9 o’clock worship. I can do okay if someone else is leading the clapping. But if you start looking to me to keep time, well, that’s on you for following me. Ha!
I can follow someone else, sort of, as long as I’m really focused. Even still, it doesn’t take a lot for me to get out of sync. This isn’t a great combination when I’m standing up front. If you start following me with your clapping, we will all get out of whack.
Three of my kids are learning instruments. Keeping time and staying on beat is one of the elements of learning. Sometimes they use a metronome to help. It keeps a steady beat. It helps you know when you are off and, by its nature, it encourages you to get back in line.
Are there metronomes in your life that help show you when you are off and encourage you to get back on rhythm?
On October 1st I shared the fascinating phenomenon of horses that sync their heartbeats together. No matter the type or age or ability, a herd of horses naturally fall in line with one another in the rhythm of their heartbeats. They are connected. When one horse senses danger and its heartbeat elevates, the entire herd senses it and reacts quickly.
One of the uses of our mission and vision statements is that of a metronome. These statements help us know the heartbeat of our community. They give us a gauge to know if we are in or out of sync. If we are serious about becoming a place of belonging, we can ask, are we in sync? What correction needs to change so that we can deepen a sense of belonging for our people and our guests? We can ask how we are doing in living out the scripture in a real way for daily life.
Uniting our hearts to the will and way of Jesus is the constant beat that syncs our lives. You and I get off-beat every day. By the grace of God, He realigns us and moves us forward together.
What types of metronomes would be helpful for you to keep rhythm with Jesus?
