#ChangeYourRhythm

Matthew 14: 28 - 30
And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." So He said, "come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, " Lord, save me!"

I bought two paint by numbers canvases as a gift for my daughter last Christmas. One is a painting of a mother elephant with her calf. I said to my daughter that she should remember that I will always be there for her, wherever she may be, and however old she may be, and to remember this, whenever she looks at that completed painting.

As I pondered and asked God for a word to share on Saturday, I stood in my living room door, looking at the unfinished artwork and the words dropped into my Spirit, " You may not see the mother elephant next to the baby elephant but she is there and the closer you move to the picture, the clearer the silhouette of the mother becomes. So it is with Me and my children. They can not see Me but I'm always near and always present. The more time they spent in my word, the more they will know I am with them. There will be times they will feel all alone but they should keep their eyes fixed on me, the Word."
I was reminded of Peter walking on the water towards Jesus but the moment he took his eyes off Him and looked at the raging storm around him, he began to sink. Fear and despair paralysed him and overwhelmed him.
Life at the moment is like a stormy, raging sea. Jesus built His church upon Peter, the rock but we stand upon the rock of ages, Jesus. He is near and ready to reach out and grab our hands even in the moments we take our eyes off Him, when we call upon His name.

Psalm 27: 4-5 says, " One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. To behold the beauty of the Lord, and inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.

The rhythm of the storm is fast and fierce but God's rhythm is quiet and gentle. In Him we find perfect peace and rest. May we find our rhythm in Him, in His word. Sister I do not know what rhythm you are in right now. We all have different rhythms at the moment. Let us press into God and listen to the rhythm He is setting today.

Father you are mighty and powerful, all-present and all-knowing. Jesus You are our peace in the storm, a rock upon which we stand. Help us Holy Spirit to slow down our rhythms so that we can be in harmony with Yours. Guide us Holy Spirit into the Word. Ignite a new hunger to draw closer to you and help us keeping our eyes on You Lord even when the storms rage around us. Thank you for the reassurance that You are always near. May we be that beacon of hope and love and may we serve those around us as the same way You served, with humility and kindness. In Jesus name. Amen.