The Book Of Numbers | A Journey Toward Human Freedom Under God's AuthoritySample

"Rhythms"

A new phase in any journey requires new practices, new schedules, new habits and new rhythms. The Greek word translated into English for this idea of rhythms is the word liturgy. Many consider the word liturgy to be a bad word, but ultimately it just refers to the work and rhythms that we do everyday. When it comes down to it, we all have liturgies, and forms to our lives. We have morning routines, church orders; we have a shape to our stadium practices, malls, grocery stores, and even our homes. Everything has a “shape.” Everything on earth aims to shape us toward and around their vision of the “good life.” The only question on the table is, “what are good and poor forms?” Some routines shape us to love, honor, worship, and obey the Lord, and others do not. 

Consider, as you walk through these two chapters in Numbers, how God orders his people’s life into minutes and days (daily offerings), weeks (Sabbath rest), months (offerings) years (Passover) and annual festivals and feasts. Consider your rhythms and how they are shaping you. Though as New Testament believers we are not bound to all of these Old Testament rhythms any longer, their wisdom is still practical. God shapes his people around his story in order to ensure they remember him in their daily, weekly, monthly and annual rhythms. His discipleship method goes way beyond a “quiet time.” It infiltrates our every moment patterns and habits.

The natural posture of the human heart is to be bent! Bent toward things of lesser value and importance! God in daily, weekly, monthly, annual and yearly rhythms ensures that his people are aimed at the right story. This causes us to arrive at his intended destination. His destination isn’t a wasteland, it is a Promised Land.