Now, I may perhaps have a fondness for lists more than the average person, but I do think that routines, or perhaps a better word would be rhythms, are an essential element of a healthy life, physically and spiritually. Many of us are finding ourselves at a complete loss right now without our normal rhythms. Perhaps this has been eye-opening for you to realize how much you depend upon rhythms for your sense of stability and security. We like to know what is happening next! And right now, many, including myself, feel lost in the unknown and the chaos.

I started thinking about how God is a God of rhythms. From the rhythmic beating of the human heart, to the rising and setting of the sun, to the change of seasons year after year, God clearly values steady and predictable rhythms as part of his ordered creation. The creation story in Genesis depicts God as very methodical and intentional as God brings order out of the chaos. After the work is finished, God rests. The Israelites were commanded to follow this pattern for their own lives, a pattern of work and rest. Even the land was given a time of rest (Sabbath) every seven years!

Rhythms are good, divine even. During this season when all our rhythms have gone awry, don’t panic. Make new ones. For some of us, this forced slowing-down actually provides the space we may have been longing for to make time for God. Take advantage of this disruption to your schedule to establish a better balance between work and rest. Believe it or not, the God of the universe enjoys spending time with us! I have a hard time wrapping my mind around that.

As I look outside my dining room window right now, I see the birds beginning to make their nests. I see buds forming on the trees. What a great reminder that even though our world seems to have come to a complete standstill, creation has not. The robins are proof that spring is still going to happen, just like it does every year. This current season will come to an end, and a new one will come.

Prayer: Creator God, you are perfect in all your ways. You are a God of order and rhythms, and you made me in your image. During this difficult season of total disruption in our world, help me cling to you, knowing you are steadfast, unchanging, and faithful. Help me to embrace new rhythms that include time with you. In Jesus’ name, amen.