Restoring Rhythm P.I… I have come to believe that God is a God of time. I think that for a long time I kept wanting things—physical objects—to be sacred. But God doesn’t appear to be about that so much as He seems to be more concerned with time and rhythm, at least as far as I can tell. Many people tell me that God is outside of time, as if it’s an annoyance to Him and that He doesn’t need it; but that doesn’t quite seem to be the be-all-end-all statement for me. There’s got to be something deeper—more mysterious. I suppose God envelopes time; God is not confined by the limitations of time; He transcends time.  In fact, time stands still in His presence or at the sound of His voice. So what are you going through in your life right now, which seems like forever?  An incessant barrage of burdens; a plethora of problems; family fragmentation; or is a waterfall of worries?  Do you ever feel that time is not enough in the day to accomplish your tasks or time is always running out? The truth of time is that in finite dimensions, we are bound and restricted by it.  Time moves on apace.  An old adage says, “time and tide waits for no man” or “procrastination is the thief of time.”  Which ever way you look at time, it is a talent entrusted to us to use well and wisely.  Time has a rhythm.  For some you her the “ticking” sound or the “buzzing sound” but to moves in sync, “1-2-1-2” like a marching order. God has a time He has set apart.  The wonderful time of the Sabbath, and if I’m going to study or look deeply into a subject, then I need to go to the first mention recorded of the topic. In this instance, we go to creation. God takes seven days to create. It’s fascinating that He doesn’t create the objects with which we measure days until the fourth day, but that’s another topic for another day. What really fascinates me is this: What is the first thing in all of creation that God makes holy? Time. God makes the seventh day, a space in time, holy. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel suggests that God didn’t cease creating after six days, but that He actually created rest on the seventh day. Still, God makes moments in time holy. There is an intrinsic rhythm to all of creation that He sets apart. We are part of the Master’s timepiece.  This world, its beautiful objects of creation and YOU and I are a part of this timeless collection.  Connect with your rhythm so we can be in sync with the Creator’s beat.  We’ll talk more about it later in part 2. Stay blessed because you are… Pr. D. Saugh   Jesus Christ: The Living Water Scientists tell us that the body is comprised of 95% water. As a result, it is imperative or in other words extremely important that we drink sufficient water in order for our bodies to perform the normal bodily functions. The process of digestion requires water. Every single metabolic or chemical reaction within our body requires water. They tell us that the body can survive 40 days without food…but only 24-72 hours without water. Is it any wonder therefore that we are encouraged to drink 8 glasses of water a day in order to maintain good health? It is a known scientific fact that a child’s body can survive without water for 24 hours before dehydration begins to set in and eventually the body goes into shock and dies. An adult body can survive 72 hours before the same thing takes place. But what of the Christian life? How long can we survive without communion with Christ who is the living water of life? Try facing this world as we know it without Christ for 24 hours and watch your spiritual life crumble and dry up. Christ is the living water from whose fountain we must drink from on a daily basis. He offers to us life and much more than that. He offers us abundant life. Come with me and meet the woman at the well. Up to that point she recognized the importance of water for she came to draw water. But that very same day, she came in contact with the life giver himself. When she tasted of that spiritual water, it was like a well of water springing up into everlasting life. It was like nothing she had ever tasted before. John 4:29 tells us she had to run and say “Come, see a man who has told me all things whatever I did. Is this not the Christ?” There are many who seek to quench their thirst from broken cisterns and find no relief from their thirst. But Christ is offering to us living water. His side was pierced when He was crucified and from it flowed blood mingled with water. John 19:34. Christ offers to us His blood spilled at Calvary and the water of life from which we should drink daily. -PDS