Movers and Shakers

“Look how funny!” I told my husband today. We were eating lunch at Sonic, the piped music blaring a ’Fifties rock’n’roll song, and above a board fence on the other side I could see two children bouncing on a trampoline. It was as if they were choreographed! They had no idea they were bouncing to the music, but as their arms and legs flailed and they bounced like rubber balls, the song warbled, “Get out to that kitchen and rattle those pots and pans…Shake, Rattle and Roll…” I had to laugh at their unintentional entertaining performance.

I remember another time in Mississippi when I sat in the car listening to the radio while Howard went into a store. The music was inspirational hymns and worship songs, and as I glanced up at the sky, the gulls were swooping, soaring and gliding in perfect rhythm to the music. It was as if they were praising God! As if they had some ability to pick up on the radio waves in the air and were expressing joy flying effortlessly in harmony with His creation.

I love the old hymn, “This is My Father’s World”, which says, “This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears All nature sings, and round me rings The music of the spheres.” Evidently the author had something of my same feelings. The next verse begins, “This is my Father’s world, The birds their carols raise, The morning light, the lily white, Declare their maker’s praise.”

Jesus said, when people were praising Him during his triumphal entry into Jerusalem as he sat upon a colt, “I tell you, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.” The Pharisees had told him to rebuke those who were saying, “Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.”

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard,” Psalm 19:1-3. We had a friend in Mississippi whose gift was writing poetry and songs. His favorite saying, almost a mantra, was “Listen to the rhythm of the Spirit.”

There is a natural rhythm and design that God has put into nature; after all, Genesis 1:2 tells us, “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” We are not to worship nature, nor the creature instead of the Creator. But what a joyous experience it is when we are in tune with the Holy Spirit. “In Him we live, and move, and have our being,” Acts 17:28. Almost like being choreographed!