Rhythms

On this first day of the Chinese Year of the Pig, I have another chance at starting my New Year’s Resolutions.  (I’m only half-joking.). I have also just finished a lovely ‘retreat day’ here in a small but bustling Asian city. It’s a wonderful way to start the Chinese New Year. 

Feeling somewhat inspired to capture the essence of what God is inviting me to me these days, I attempted another haiku:

Rhythms of life

Striving less and Spirit led

Like nature’s rhythms

Rhythms … that shall be my word for the year.  In a sense, it is also my New Year’s Resolution, though that remains officially related to health and fitness. I hope that I can ‘strive less’ and ‘be Spirit led’ even as I establish some healthier habits in that area too.

Rhythms and lights

Here in Chiang Mai, I am enjoying magnificent sunsets most days, though the reason the colours are so spectacular is the little bit of pollution in the air. One scene I snapped shows, in the foreground, traffic lights regulating the flow of what sometimes seems chaotic – cars, songthaews, motorbikes, tuk-tuks and pedestrians intersecting. Behind that, the sun sets, regulating the lives of birds (which flock to sit on particular power lines at sunset), water lilies which open and close with the sunlight, and much much more. 

Yet in contrast to the rhythms of nature and even of traffic, we strive on. Too often we ignore the rhythms of day and night, of six days for work then one of rest, of feasting and fasting and more. We push hard to complete apparently very important tasks, day after day, night after night, tapping away on our computers, rushing from one strategic meeting to the next. 

Who do we think we are? 

Just for the record, I have long been adamant that we need to take a weekly rest day, both out of obedience to God and for our own well-being. Yet I confess that I often strive to do what I think is a good idea or what I sense others expect of me, sometimes taking on too much work because if I don’t say ‘yes’, the whole world will come crashing down … obviously. Crazy.

Striving less and Spirit led

Today was a case in point even as I strived to retreat. Like I said earlier,  I had planned start the Chinese New Year with a retreat day. I have a new book – ‘Pursuing God’s Will Together’ by Ruth Haley-Barton— and I was planning to incorporate some walking with journalling and reading in coffee shops. The day started out fine, with everything going according to plan … my plan, that is.

At midday, I enjoyed a scrumptious lunch, which I interpret as a kind gift from a generous father. I had heard of this place but didn’t know where it was and literally walked right past it today. Then I went to an air-conditioned shopping centre where I knew I could get a fragrant cup of coffee served with a glass of green tea on the side. I settled in for an afternoon of peace and quiet. That was my plan, anyhow.

First it was the Chinese New Year clamour.  Four young men dressed as two lions roamed the centre, while another drummed and one more banged cymbals. They went back and forth throughout the whole centre for a good hour or more. It was entertaining even though I felt the stress levels rising because MY plans to be renewed and revisioned were going haywire. 

Finally, they stopped their noise and the poor hot boys threw off their lion outfits right outside the cafe in which I sat, the drummers coming in for take-away iced coffee. Literally, right at that moment, a lonely American tourist approached my table and struck up a conversation. I considered packing up and moving elsewhere at that point, but a little voice inside me reminded me that I had just this morning repented of striving for what I thought was important rather than looking for the Spirit’s leading. The tourist stayed for almost two hours, talking of family and hopes and disappointments and more. I had no chance to share my faith or say anything I considered of eternal value. Yet I sat there, being friendly. I hope … and sense … that is what God wanted of me. 

Rhythms and leading

Finally, I left the shopping centre and walked down the street. The sun was setting. The birds flocked to their allotted power lines and started up their deafening chatter. (You can tell that they always go there by the white … er … ‘paint’ … on the pavement below. I took care to walk well away from it.) And was reminded again of the rhythms of nature. 

I did not finish the book I intended to study today even as I looked for God’s renewal. I’m only a quarter of the way through it. But do you know what? It doesn’t matter. The sun will still rise in the morning. The birds will go off to do whatever birds do during the day. The water lilies will open their petals. Just as nature’s rhythms continue under the hand of Almighty God, so I too need to cease striving and simply seek to follow his lead. 

I started this piece with a haiku. I would like to finish with some well crafted Ines from one of my favourite hymns – ‘Dear Lord and Father of Mankind’ by John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-92). May this be my prayer and perhaps yours too, whatever our days may bring, even and especially when the pace of life picks up and we lose focus and start striving again.

“Drop thy still dews of quietness

Till all our strivings cease;

Take from our souls the strain and stress,

And let our ordered lives confess

The beauty of thy peace.”