The Beat Goes On

I love worship music on Sunday mornings. Today I heard it through different ears. It wasn't the voices, the harmonies, the guitars, or the lyrics that transported me into the throne room of God. It was the drum set. As I listened to the beat of the bass, I heard God's heartbeat--sometimes pounding like an army's feet, sometimes barely audible like a still, small voice, but always steady.

Then came the varying rhythms of the snare drum and tones of the toms. I would smile to myself when I could mentally anticipate the beats, the syncopation, and the use of different toms. Then, part way through a song, a change would come--something new that completely changed the feel of the music. Sometimes a calmness settled in. Other times an excitement built. In one song, the bass quit all together; however, the beat continued with the soft tap, tap, tap on the snare and a ting, ting, ting, on the cymbal. No matter what was happening in the music, I was very aware of the Spirit of God through the beat. My body clapped and bounced at times, yet remained perfectly still at others.

As I listened to all this, I envisioned God's presence--the very beat of his heart in mine. It is my life force. There have been times when I have felt that beat all the way to my little toes, but there have been other times I have had to turn off all outside noise in order to hear a faint beat, beat, beat, but it was always there.

The snare and the toms reminded me of life in general with its activities; some days are busy and loud, some are calm and quiet, but most are a mixture of all. Each one is a little different from the other, changing at a moment's notice in rhythm or tone. However, that doesn't matter because the beat remains steady and sure.

For some unknown reason, this morning I especially loved the accents of the cymbals. Whether a ting or a crash, they made me take notice. For me, the beauty of spring begins as a cymbal's ting, ting, ting. A crocus here or a daffodil there subtly catch my attention. Then I round a corner and stand face to face with a cherry tree in full bloom and an ear-shattering, crashing cymbal. God has gotten my full attention.

I think I will start paying more attention to the beat of God's heart, the rhythm of my life in Him, and the cymbals that draw my attention to the beauty around me.

His beat goes on. I don't know what song tomorrow will bring, but I can hardly wait for the sounds and songs of Easter.

Jan