The natural rhythm of life is an interesting thing.
Summer is virtually upon us and it has brought with it a certain different pace of life; or at least a different set of activities.
I often wonder if those who live in the Polynesian Islands see life as being more constant than we do. I suspect they do, as they do not have to deal with the vagaries of summer following Spring following Winter. Or at least, I suspect they follow a completely different set of rhythms.
Of course, we are Nordic people with a limited growing season and an even more limited outdoor pool season. So we know life has rhythms, we see them every day as we watch flowers spring up, wither, and return to the ground.
For some reason we fail to see this as part of our spirituality – we fail to see that this is the way the world is intended to be.
Those rhythms are also present in the human body and the human condition.
My legs ache almost half of the time now that I am over forty. My ability to compete in reflex based video games also seems to be waning. Of course, I am gaining some wisdom and stability and perseverance to overcome these bodily defects; I suppose I should see it as a trade off, r at least accept it as part of the natural rhythm of life.
Passion wanes and re-ignites over time as well. It is a constant ebb and flow of rhythm that changes daily whether you are talking about passion for your loved one, your chosen career, or a particular ice cream.
This too is related to our faith.
This is something I think we have lost when we became mostly urban, mostly consumed with career, mostly over-rushed people. Any rhythm in our life that could be called natural has been pushed to the background by the artificial rhythm of 24 hour availability, 60 hour work weeks, 10 minute family times, artificial lighting, and time shifting PVR cable... any number of things that make it so that we control the rhythm and no longer follow the rhythm of nature and the world.
In my last column I compared God to the Force from Star Wars. In essence what I am talking about is the original Christian doctrine of Logos the Greek word for the creative power or spirit of the Universe. You see the universe functions according to rhythms and progressions that have to do with life and death, high energy and low energy, movement and entropy.
One ancient writer famously coined it thus: “for everything there is a season, and a time for everything...”
In a little over two weeks my church will close down, people will be off at the cottage, or visiting relations, or hanging on the beach. Hopefully some of them will visit our sister churches if it is rainy on a Sunday morning. Hopefully some will head to Synagogue or Mosque; a contemporary service at Allison or something at the Wesleyan church.
Perhaps not though as summer is a time when t he rhythms slow down and allow us to be focused on rest, relaxation, family, and sunshine.
And I guess the point of all this is that I think that summer and doing less is exactly what we were created for; and exactly how we get in touch with our true selves and commune with God.
In old fashioned religious terms we are talking about the Sabbath.
I don’t believe the Sabbath is Sunday. I don’t believe it is Saturday or sun-down Friday to sun-down Saturday either for that matter. I believe Sabbath is any time we accept and live the natural rhythm of life and become one with God.
Sabbath can be the ten minute coffee break where we find ourselves staring at beautiful fluffy clouds, or the week off fishing in the woods.
I encourage you over the next few months to build Sabbath, and the appreciation of life itself, and therefore God into your rhythms. There is no better time than summer to reignite your passion for the life you are supposed to live.
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