Pushing Pause
If you know music, you know what these are symbolic of, right?
The most commonly used (of the above) is this sign:
If you read sheet music, you know that each of these indicates what is commonly known as a rest.
A “rest” represents a period of silence within music, and, indicates to the musician how long to hold silence.
The most common “rest” is the quarter rest (above), which is equal to one beat of music.
A rest is used for many reasons – here are a few:
To create an effective rhythm for expression…
To give emotional impact (tension, anticipation, release) and a change in the mood (attitude) of the music…
To mark natural pauses for instrumentalists and vocalists needing to catch their breath…
This morning’s blog IS NOT about music theory.
Yet, a little music theory filtered through my quiet time this past week as I sat pondering the busy-ness of the coming summer months, and a recent conviction the Lord began stirring in my soul.
As I reflected on each individual concept: (The rests that are necessary for the kind of music I enjoy, the upcoming busy-ness, and a deeply planted seed of conviction) — I knew without question what those three things tied together represented for me, and I’ll take just a moment to share that with you.
This upcoming summer has presented to me two fairly good-sized, time-consuming projects I’ve agreed to work on before the fall hits.
In order to do so, I need to take a break from something; I am aware that I can’t add without taking away.
As well, there’s a conviction stirring inside of me, which lands me in the arena of social media. Lately, any time I’ve taken, especially Facebook, has left me with a heaviness in spirit regarding the always-prevalent self-promotion (I’m talking my own as much as anyone else’s); it’s become too time-consuming; it’s caused me to grieve deeply and lament the loss of basic kindness, gentleness and goodness (human decency); and, there are days I walk away from checking any one particular outlet and am thoroughly agitated in spirit. Besides, which, it is an absolute time-sucker.
Not good.
I recognize the Lord is not a God of confusion or agitation…His lovingkindness (HESED) is always good…and, will settle our hearts, above all, in hope, joy, and, peace!
Put these things together from this past week and I have one, great big, God-given sense of direction that will last me one-quarter (a simple beat) of this year (and then I’ll re-evaluate).
I’m going to take this gift of rest, a Sabbath-of-sorts, from all social media, which will include this weekly blog, to pour my time into some other projects; and, I will push pause (selah) for a while:
My prayer as I enter into this time is:
May the Lord – the Creator of the Universe, the Author of Time – establish in me a new rhythm for creative expression; restore the priority of pursuing all the Lord wants from me daily with a peace-filled-spirit (un-needful of any pats on the back); give my attitude a course correction; and, simply, allow me to catch my breath in the midst of it all.
To be honest, I’m excited for all the Lord may have in mind for this season…
…and, I fully believe, each of us need this kind of Selah from time to time for the same purpose. That timing, for you, as for me, should certainly be God-directed.
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P.S. As one final thought on God’s Great, Inexpressible Love (HESED) that is truly “BEYOND WORDS” (no matter how hard one may attempt to describe it), there is one final question and response to summarize all the blogs of the past weeks.
The question: In light of HESED, how, then, should I live?
The response: I, too, HESED because He first “HESED-ed” me (1 John 4:19). What does that look like?
Go – and wash some feet (serve “the other”)… see John 13.
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Enjoy your summer!