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Listen while you read: "The Banner Of The Cross"1 (Lyrics) |
Galatians 2:11-12 – When Peter came to Antioch, I [Paul] opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. (NIV)
Our little foster son loved to play his handmade drum, and he did so quite well. So well, in fact, that he began to join me on the platform as I played my omnichord and my daughter led the singing during Sunday worship services. Distractions, however, are everywhere when you're only seven. And these distractions invariably led to the problem of my side-kick drummer losing the beat. When this occurred, I would quickly create another distraction for him: the thumping of my foot against the floor in time with the music. This little trick soon had him back drumming in perfect time.
In today's Scripture, Peter also lost the beat, the beat of Christian love, due to his fear of what his peers might think.
Peer pressure can be a powerful force of distraction in our lives, too — one which can quickly cause us, like Peter, to lose the beat of God's loving song within us. Fear replaces peace; our thoughts and actions lose timing with His truth; and all too often, those with whom we may be close join us in our hypocrisy.
God loves us so much, however, that when this happens, He is quick to create a distraction of His own. His holy distractions may appear in the form of His Word, prayer, or creation. Other times, we may encounter the beat of truth through a novel, a movie, a photograph — or, like Peter, through another Christian. Whatever the case, knowing that He is always here beside us, working on our behalf amidst the distraction of peer pressure which leads to hypocrisy, encourages us to prayerfully keep our heart and ears open to the beat of His healing truth and love.
Prayer: Father God, keep us in time with the beat of Your truth today, that the song of Christ's love within us might beat sweetly and clearly amidst all that we do and say. In the wonderful name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
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Another good one Lynne.
Thank you Lynne for keeping the beat alive!
The Lord bless you and yours!
Dear Lynne,
What a helpful devotional about God keeping us in time with His beat of love, Thank you.
What a talented person! And you use so many for the glory of God.
Through the years I have enjoyed all the analogies that used your dogs, horses, etc.
Keep writing.
Hi Lynne,
Thank you so much for your devotional today. In a world full of countless distractions and temptations, it is comforting to know that we can rely on The Almighty to be our guide and companion.
Lynne, this is absolutely beautiful. The music, the child, the “rhythm of God’s love”, these are things that resonate with me. Thank you for this picture portrait of our desire to keep in step, but our propensity to miss a beat here and there because of distractions. God bless.
Lynne,
Thanks for the reminder, I wake up each morning asking Him to walk with me an guide me. Your story about the young man was a good mirror for me.
Thanks again.
Dear Lynne,
What a cute story – it’s great to hear you have musical talent too! The omnichord sounds like a fun instrument to play. I especially enjoyed the spiritual analogy – nothing like an offbeat drum to make our lives go haywire! Thanks for sharing.
Blessings.
Good Evening Lynne:
A busy day at our home, however I must mot let it pass without writing to say thank you for your challenging message. Peter, like many of us had his time of weakness, a lesson that teaches us we must be clothed in the armour provided by God in His wonderful word 24-7.
Have a nice weekend.
(PEI)
Dears lovely brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ our Lord,
I’m blessed every day when I read the Daily devotional and what I can say is that our Lord loves us so much and yesterday I had another experience with Him, in which I received a great joy and confidence in Him and this confirmed to me that God knows me as his son. What I can do now is to believe and stay in his holy hands and serve him till when He’ll come to take us for his place.
Let us say thanks to Lord our God and may God bless you so much.
Hi Lynne,
This little devotional really caught my interest because of all the disciples Peter is my favourite. I grew up with people like him. And although I admire Paul he is a bit too intellectual for me with my logging town experience.
However one has to take one’s hat off to Paul for openly challenging a bloke like Peter who could resort to a fast draw of his sword. It reveals however the patience Peter grew into and Paul’s tenacity for doing the right thing.
This encounter of these two men is always fascinating. This is the first time I have seen under the emblem of music making… keeping the beat.
Blessings.
Great, as always, Lynne.
Dear Lynne,
What a great on-beat devotional!
May God cause your boy grow up on beat and stay there.
It is not easy for me to compliment beat types of music for I’m hyper-sensitive to loud beating music and have to leave the sanctuary when the intensity reaches a certain number of decibels. Give me the lovely full-of-meaning hymns.
I pray that God will keep our hearts all beating together to his grace and mercy in Jesus Christ.
And that “the song of Christ’s love within us might beat sweetly and clearly amidst all that we do and say.”
Amen.
Keep writing.
Thank you, Lynne. This reminds of my working with primary age in my children’s choirs; I could visualize the whole thing!
Thank you Lynne for your beautiful devotional message. May God continue to bless you, your daughter and your little son as you keep the beat and are in tune with the Holy Spirit’s leading.
As a musician it spoke to me and I pray that I’ll keep my focus on the Great Conductor and be alert enough to see his “distractions” to get on track and the will to be in harmony with His score!