A few years ago, I was visiting my grandparents, and they told me that before they ate breakfast every morning and dinner every night, they recited the Shema. I wasn’t quite sure what that was, but they pulled out their bibles and together we recited part of Deuteronomy 6, starting in verse 4, “Hear O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” I can’t hear that passage anymore without picturing my grandparents, clasping each other’s hands, heads bowed, praying that fervently.  

‍

It’s a beautiful picture of what a life dedicated to following Christ looks like, having a life rhythm that has Jesus in every beat. That’s what this passage is talking about - including the Lord in our daily lives and not just on Sundays at church. In fact, some Jewish traditions took the commands to “bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes” literally and would attach small boxes with Scripture inside to their hands and foreheads.  

‍

While I’m not suggesting we need to do that specifically (I think something dangling between my eyes would be incredibly distracting), there are ways we all can incorporate loving and following the Lord even more in our lives. For example, a friend of mine always prays when she leaves her house. Now that she has kids, they pray too, so they are already developing a Jesus rhythm at a very young age. My brother and sister-in-law memorized the entire book of James with their life group, and part of how they learned it was through song - played on repeat at their house so that even after a short visit with them, I had part of it memorized, too.  

‍

The more we include the Lord in our lives, the more he becomes a natural part of every moment. I remember the first time I heard a friend casually mention what the Lord was doing in her life, and I was amazed at how it was such an easy and seamless part of her conversation. She loved talking about the Lord! Growing up, while I was very active in my church, my conversations were much more about what I was doing, not how the Lord was working in and through me. Slowly, I started incorporating that type of language in my life, and by being more aware of it, I started seeing where the Lord was working throughout my life and those around me.  

‍

It’s like the Baader–Meinhof phenomenon, where you learn about something and then start seeing it everywhere around you. It’s been there the whole time; the only difference is your awareness. Developing a relationship with the Lord is like that. He’s been there the whole time, waiting for you to become aware of him.

What if, instead of saying, “How are you doing?” every time we greeted our fellow believers, we asked, “How is the Lord working in your life right now?” How would that change our approach to life and how we live?

‍

My guess is that since you’re here reading this devotional, you’ve already got a Jesus rhythm in your life, or at the very least you are working on it. Regardless of where you are in your walk with Christ, I challenge you to examine your rhythm and see where Jesus is present and where he may be missing. Then, pray about where you could encourage others around you in their walk with Christ. Maybe you’re being called to serve in the ACF Kids Ministry, to teach and disciple the kids growing up around you. Maybe you’re called to join a life group or possibly be a life group leader. Or maybe it’s something entirely different. As you reflect on where the Lord is leading you, join me in this prayer:

‍

Heavenly Father, thank you for always being present in our lives, even in the moments when we fail to notice you. Help us to build a consistent rhythm that honors you - from the moment we wake up to the moment we close our eyes at night. Open our eyes to see your hand at work, and give us the courage to speak openly about your goodness to the people around us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.