Last week I wrote about the word 'cadence', and hit it more from the angle of a marching band drumline.  This week I want to attack it from the military point of view.
As I mentioned in the previous post, a military cadence was used to keep all of the soldiers in 'dress' or moving in step and formation as a unit.  All marching to the same beat.
I have to admit, I have been having struggles lately.  I know how much God loves me.  I know He has given me a purpose and meaning in this life.  I know that He has done the miraculous in my life before.  Healing me of fibromyalgia, doing the miraculous in my family and friends lives.  But there are days where weariness gets the best of me.  There are days that I want to stop and just wallow.  I want to stay in that place of self pity and doubt and not move.  Stop the world and let me off please.
But that is not what I am called to do.  I am called to keep going.  I am called to do good.  Galations 6:9 says this, "Don't grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we don't give up (NIV)". 
I know that God answers prayers, in His time.  They say God answers in three ways; Yes, no and not yet.  I get that.  But there are times when I see others suffering and I want those answers now.  I see my family hurting.  I see those that are lost and dying.  I see young men and women sick with cancer.  I see families torn apart by alcoholism and by depression.  I see the ravages of sin and it's affect on the world around me and I get angry.  And at times I get discouraged.  I had a day like that last week.  If I had had the option I would have stayed in bed and pulled the covers up over my head.  I didn't, so I tried to go about business as usual.  But my walk was off that day.  My step wasn't sure and strong.  I was faltering.
I got in my car and turned on the radio and heard a song by TobyMac called "Move".  How I needed to hear that song at that time.  And the beat or cadence was moving to say the least.  These are some of the lyrics:

I know your heart been broke again
I know your prayers ain’t been answered yet
I know you’re feeling like you got nothing left
Well, lift your head, it ain’t over yet, ain’t over yet so

Move, keep walkin’ soldier keep movin’ on
Move, keep walkin’ until the mornin’ comes
Move, keep walkin’ soldier keep movin’ on
And lift your head, it ain’t over yet, ain’t over yet

The military cadence's purpose was to help those soldiers keep moving.  As they were running drills, you know they got tired.  You know there were days that to try to take one more step was just too much.  But it had been drilled into their heads to keep in step with those cadences.  It had been ingrained into their very being to not stop marching.  They didn't have that option.  It was part of their duty and their responsibility.  It not only became what they did, it became who they were.  They knew that those drills were for their own good. When war comes, they rely on that training and discipline. 
The same for us as Christians.  Who we are and what we do are intricately woven together.  We are His and we are called to do His will.  We are called to keep walking, to keep doing good.  
Picture those soldiers doing their drills.  They aren't wearing lightweight running shoes.  They are wearing their military issue combat boots.  These aren't the pretty shiny shoes they wear for ceremonies.  These are the tried and true heavy duty boots made to endure in the worst of conditions.  By the time their drill was over, they may be covered in dust, mud, who knows what else.  But no matter how heavy those boots got, they kept going.  They did not stop.  They didn't want to let their platoon down, they didn't want to let their drill sergeant down.  They marched for a greater purpose.
We do the same.  We have a greater purpose than just getting up every day.  We are more than our work routine.  We are more than a job or housework or studies.  We are children of God and are called to share His gospel.  Called to share the hope and faith that we have in Him. 
Yes there are days we get tired.  There are days we get discouraged.  But we have a greater hope.  We have a God who has promised us rest when we are weary (Matthew 11:28).  He promises that if we give Him our burdens He will take care of us;  "Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders; he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out". (Psalm 55:22, The Message)
He does not say to stop walking, He says He will help us.  I picture a soldier carrying a heavy pack.  He walks, he grows weary.  Along comes someone who takes that pack and says, ok now keep going.  Keep walking.  That is who God is.  He promises that as we keep going, that if we will give Him our burdens, He is faithful to take them from us and give us the strength to carry on.  He does not demand our burden from us, we must willingly give them to Him.  And then not play tug of war with Him over them.
He doesn't promise an easy road.  He doesn't promise there will be no hard times.  He does promise that He will never leave us or forsake us.  He promises that His plans for us are for our good.  He promises us that He loves us with an everlasting love.  He promises us that He will be with us always. 
Always.  Even when it is dark all around us.  Even when the enemy comes in to deter us from our mission.  Even when the road is filled with landmines and there seems no sure way. 
He is that sure way.  He is the way, the truth and the life.  He has given us all that we need to move forward in this life.  He has kitted us out and prepared us.  Now we just need to get these boots walking.

If you want to hear that song by TobyMac, here is a link
https://youtu.be/MX1G71WK-FA

There are certain things that affect me incredibly.  A drive through the mountains, a vast forest of trees surrounding me.  The ocean, so huge and powerful, waves crashing.  Looking up into the star filled night.  The sound of a drumline.
I don't know what it is about the sound of drums that hits me in my deepest place.  Something primal and raw about it.  For as long as I can remember, whenever I am at a parade and hear those drummers, I start to cry.  And not a pretty cry either...it is deep, sobbing, wrenching.
One of my favorite movies (ok, I have a lot of favorite movies) is Drumline.  It is about this hot shot kid from the city who goes to a southern college and thinks he will reinvent the drumline there.  After much turmoil and many shake ups the whole team is better for his being a part of it.
This past week or so the word 'cadence' has been resounding in my mind.  I've been looking at it this way and that, trying to figure out what it is that God wants me to learn about it.  That word just won't stop speaking to me.
Cadence as far as a marching band or drum line goes is played exclusively by the percussion section.  And it's origins come from the military, to provide a beat while marching, so that all can be in the same rhythm.
I've been thinking all week, what does this have to do with our Christian walk?  What is important about cadence?  Imagine a group of strangers coming together at the beginning of the school year.  They have never met, don't have a clue about each other.  But they all have the desire to be in the drumline.  They all have the equipment necessary to play.  They all know the rudiments of that drumline.  But they are all strangers.
So first practice.  One marches this way, one that.  One plays this beat, that one has a whole different rhythm.  They all have the desire.  Now comes the discipline.  They all have the instrument needed.  Now comes the practice.  They all have the same section leader, now they just need to follow his leading.
We as Christians are like that drumline.  We all have the desire to live our lives for the One who gave His life for us.  We have been given the equipment needed to get there, the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.  We all have the same section leader, Jesus.  Now comes the discipline, now comes the time spent bringing into play all that we are learning.  And just like that drumline, we are not lone rangers.  This is not the time to march to the beat of a different drummer.  We are part of a larger body.  Part of a fellowship of people with the same desires and focus.
We are told in the Bible in 1 Corinthians 12:18 that God has placed us all as members in one body, just as He desires.  And elsewhere in that chapter it talks about how one part of the body cannot say to another, just because you are not like me,  you are not necessary.  We are all different, but we are all part of one body.  We are all unique individuals, but we are all fundamental and significant parts of the body; the body of Christ.
As we become mature Christians, we realize how much we need one another.  We realize, that just like that drumline, we have to learn to play alongside each other.  We learn to match our step to others.  We learn to follow the same section leader and start marching in unity and formation.  We don't become like drones or robots, we become part of this beautiful living organism.  This vital heartbeat of Christ.  We become greater than just ourselves and others can see that. 
When I see that drumline marching, I see one unit.  Yes, there are many different people.  Men, women, every ethnicity, short, tall, thin and heavy.  But when they march, they are one.  They have a precision and an excellence that just one person could not achieve.  It is like when you see films of fish swimming in the ocean.  Yes, one fish is beautiful, but when you see a whole school of fish, darting this way and that in perfect harmony, synchronized exactly it is breathtaking.  The same when you see a flock of birds that seem to be a wave in the air, you cannot even begin to describe the artistry and grace.  That should be a picture of us, as the body of Christ.
Our purpose is to march alongside our fellow believers in harmony and rapport.  As we take the time to do that, we learn better to love one another.  We can see our differences, but we choose to dwell on the things that unite us.  We see our distinctions but don't let that separate us.  And as it says in John 13:35, the world will know us by our love for one another. 
I have learned over the years (and for an introvert this is a hard lesson) that we need each other.  We need fellowship.  We need friendship.  We need correction.  We need love and we need laughter and tears.  We need prayers and sometimes we just need a hug.  But we don't get that when we are all alone.  We get that when we are in league with others who have the same desires and passions.  When we choose to join that army of the Lord, to march in formation with others who have made the same choice. 
The Lord thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number,  and mighty is the army that obeys his command. (Joel 2:11)  Another use of that word cadence has to do with the military and it is used when they are marching or running.  Also called a jody call or work call, it is that call and response we see so many times in movies as the soldiers are running together.  It is an integral part of building camaraderie and teamwork.  It keeps them moving as a unit and in formation.  It was very important in early battles, as it kept the soldiers disciplined and directly affected the speed at which they traveled.  Again, they were one body, one unit, one organism.  All working together for the greater good and knowing they could count on each other and would have each others backs. 
We would do well to take a lesson from this.  That is synergy; the fact that the whole created by all the parts is greater than just the parts themselves.
We are that synergy.  We, as we come together with other Christians are a force to be reckoned with.  We are greater together than we are alone.  We all have this beat inside of us, and when we join with the beat of others we become the true heartbeat of our Father.  We become a living organism of His love and His purpose.  We move in unity and shed His love abroad.  We become that mighty army spoken of in Joel as we obey His commands.  And His greatest command was that we love the Father first and then that we love each other.
And that is when we are marching to the beat of His drum; His heartbeat.