Last weekend I spoke on Matthew 11:28-30 at a women’s conference. Jesus, under increasing oppostion, extends this invitation to a Galilean crowd oppressed by their religious leadership and Rome:

Come unto me, all ye who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

In The Message, a contemporary rendering of the original languages into that of the modern day, pastor and biblical scholar Eugene Peterson paraphrases Christ’s words: Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.

That last line plays in my head like a continous prayer, pushing away the constant challenges of life in this world by sensing and seeing the unforced grace given by God.

And, in turn, to give it.

Learning Unforced Rhythms of Grace

How do I learn them, Lord?
Let me count the ways…

Listening for Your voice
in the cadence of my days

Seeking to still my spirit’s
frenetic beating wings

Perceiving the song
all of Creation sings

Releasing judgment, 
not mine to make

Forgiving and forgiven daily,
a flow of give and take

Bearing pain and scars
accrued in life’s syncopated race

Opening my arms, my heart
to YOU, my resting place

Acknowledging the story
pulsing though others’ veins

Knowing You have the final Word
Your sovereign remedy remains

Desiring patterns of peace
in a prosody of embrace, erase…

Walking in step with Your pierced feet, O Lord
I learn unforced rhythms of grace.

Jesus preaching. ideacreammanuela2.