Let's Dance

Give me a good tune and I will dance to it.  I have always loved to dance and at times when I am home alone a can really "bust out some moves."  Last year several of my close friends and I took a country line dancing class.

  One of the girls had taken dance lessons for many years and as you watch, her moves are beautiful and precise.  My second friend has an impeccable memory and seems to effortlessly remember the steps.  I, on the other hand, have never taken dance, my moves are not graceful nor are my steps precise. Most of the time I can't even remember many of the steps without much repetition.  Unfortunately, when I can't recall the moves I am prone to simply stop moving.  My third friend, Stephenie, has rhythm and a good memory, yet unlike me, when she forgets the moves-instead of stopping- she throws her hands up in the air and dances with abandon, making up her own moves (we call it "free styling") until she catches back up with the steps.  We tease her about it, but in reality that is how I'd like my spiritual life to look.

When I think about dancing, I think about the life of King David.  It was his heart's desire to bring the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem.  To the Jewish people the ark signified the very presence of God.  David's desire was for the "presence of God" to be brought back to a place of prominence-back to the very center of their life. 

As he brought the ark back into Jerusalem scripture says,

"David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might."   2 Sam 6:14

As David leaped and danced before the Lord,  He worshipped God with absolute abandon.  The word "before" in Hebrew actually is translated "face."  I believe as David faced the presence of God, he was unconcerned about who saw him or what they thought.  All He could focus on was God and this act of worship was for the One he worshiped alone.  Even though his wife criticized him and said that he was undignified, David said,

"I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this..."            2 Sam 6:21

What does it mean to worship with abandon?  If you look up the word 'abandon' in the dictionary it is defined as follows:

• to give up to the control or influence of another person or agent
• to give up with the intent of never again claiming a right or interest

Worship with abandon is about letting go completely of ourselves and having complete trust and reliance on God and His power.  It is a complete focus on the God who is worthy of all our praise.  It is not something that happens on Sunday morning-it is instead a lifestyle.  It encompasses every part of our daily lives.  Paul wrote,

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship."      Rom 12:1

As believers our WHOLE lives are to be given over to Him-that means our family, our marriage, our children, our friendships, our jobs, our relationships and our ministries.  It means our thoughts, the words we say, how we take care of our bodies and how we manage our time. If you and I are going to worship with abandon then scripture tells us we are going to have to sacrifice-offering up our very lives to Him. 

David wrote the song from Psalm 30 for the dedication of the temple.  Here are a few lines from that passage.
                                                                

"You turned my wailing into dancing;

you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

that my heart may sing to you and not be silent"

Ps 30:11-12

In light of all God has done for us how can we be silent?  How can we be still?   If God's presence is at the very center of everything we are-how can we be still and silent and our hearts not dance before Him with complete abandon every day of our lives?