A Lesson from the Dr

During the Roaring Twenties, researchers found that, for the average person, lethargy sets in three times a day.  Upon learning this information, marketing strategists from the Dr Pepper Company urged the soda-loving public to drink their product thirty minutes before each lethargic period.  Eventually that push led to Dr Pepper adopting the slogan, "Drink a bite to eat at 10, 2, and 4."

You will be hard-pressed to find modern-day researchers who recommend three sodas a day.  However, you will see the numbers 10, 2, and 4 on Dr Pepper cans, bottles, signs, and logo wear. 

While I back away from vouching for the "science" behind the statement that lethargy sets in at three certain times a day, I do testify to the value of rhythm.  Stepping outside of routine is healthy when it fuels fresh perspectives, shakes up the humdrum, or adds some spice to life.  However, stepping out without stepping back in leads to confusion and a lack of stability. 

In Matthew, chapter eleven, Jesus invites His followers to "learn the unforced rhythms of grace."  While God is certainly a God of interruption [think Moses' experience at the burning bush or the blinding experience of Paul (then Saul) on the road to Damascus], He most certainly is also a God who introduced Time (think seven days, sunrise, sunset, and four seasons).  God knows the values of consistent patterns.  He appreciates and encourages routines and invites His creatures (including we humans) into rhythms. 

In a column from early last year, John Lee wrote a thought-provoking piece on this theme. 

“By looking at our lives in broad strokes, we should be able to see whether our cadences are godly. The benefit of a broad overview is that we don’t have to exegete details; a snapshot is enough. The big picture usually does not deceive because we see leanings, tendencies, and habits. If we have not been a part of Christian community for years, then we do not prize fellowship. If we have not read the Bible in months, then we do not value Scripture. If we have not prayed in many seasons, we don’t really have a relationship with God. If we don’t give to the work of missions, then we don’t have a missional heart. If we incessantly think about getting ahead in the marketplace, then that, too, tells a story. A diagnostic analysis can teach us which way our hearts are leaning and what the rhythms of our lives are.
From Christianity Today:
All We Need Is the Rhythm Divine
Patterns in the Bible and life keep us in sync with God.
JOHN LEE - MARCH 8, 2018

Well said, John.

#ordinarylives