Got rhythm?

When I was younger, I wanted to be a drummer. I wanted to be the one in the background of the song that kept it moving forward, the one who would set the pace and add an exclamation point to the tune with a cymbal crash. I loved the softer rhythm as well, the swish of the drumbrush that sounded more like a broom gathering up all the notes and dumping them into my lap. The bass drum was like a heart beat...sometimes I could feel it in my chest.

Drummers were used in battle as a kind of communication. The enemy could hear the drums coming way before the soldiers arrived. They could announce the charge or retreat. They could round up the soldiers for a march. The drummer could encourage the war weary who needed to take one more hill. Or, they could induce a solemn feeling as a flag was raised and lowered to half-staff.

I love to see a military drummer or a historical reenactment that bring the sound of the past to life. Even a high school band with their drummers make the dust bounce on the ground as they march by. I think my favorite thing to watch is a competition between two school drum lines. They face off in the middle of a football field instead of a battle field and make those drums talk.

I like to think of the Holy spirit as my own personal drummer. I try to let Him set the tone of my day in the early morning by reading scripture. I find a few verses that I can meditate on all day and the drum in my spirit gets louder.

The cadence gets my feet moving and sometimes bids me to be still. The bass drum is there with a thud, and I feel it in my chest. As long as I have breath, I know the Spirit's rhythm is there. And the enemy won't beat me, because my heart is already engaged in the drum roll of heaven.

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)