Sacred Rhythm
We embrace Sacred Rhythm.
When we look at Jesus’ itinerant ministry in the gospels, we often overlook the deeply structured spirituality that underlies his non-stop preaching, miracles, and mentoring. We forget that Jesus often retreated into solitude to speak with his Father. We forget that, as a man, he exerted his mind and memory to master the Hebrew scriptures.
Despite his fast-paced speaking tour of a ministry, ordered living was a hallmark of Jesus’ life. Rather than removing his need for discipline and order, his divinity surprisingly made him even more “rule-friendly” than us mere mortals.
If Jesus formed his life around the sacred rhythms of prayer and scriptural nourishment, and bound himself to these disciplines, we’re foolish to do anything less. And yet, how often do we actually experience the regular, deep fellowship with God the Father that marked his life?
Without these sacred rhythms, our faith will falter, our spirits will feel dry, our sanctification will move slowly, and our lives will become compartmentalized into “sacred” and “secular” pieces—a distinction that leaves us confused and spiritually weak.
By contrast, a life marked by daily moments of prayer, solitude, worship, and study, will begin to be formed by the God it encounters.
When we talk about “sacred rhythm,” we picture a life animated by these movements toward God. One way this happens is through a daily practice of Morning, Midday, Evening, and Night Prayer. (A lot of people use the Celtic Daily Prayer guide developed by the Northumbria Community for this. Check out the links on the sidebar for more information.) Sharing common themes of prayer and worship with saints across the world is a unifying experience! It also gives us some external forms to help us start activating these rhythms in our lives.
Clearly, a lot more needs to be said about our commitment to sacred rhythm. What does it look like? What happens besides prayer? How are things like work and study and community incorporated? How do you get started? For a more in depth look, check out the blog.