David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets.
2 Samuel 6:14-15 NIV
I can remember as a little girl dancing with my mother to the music playing on the radio. As I got a bit older I can remember going to community dances and wearing a pretty red velvet dress my grandmother had given me and dancing late into the night with my family and others in our neighborhood. Once I made it to high school I could hardly wait for the high school dances that took place several times a year. I looked forward to them so much. I have such great memories of dancing with my friends. I enjoyed the excitement and spontaneous nature of dancing. I loved to dance.
I’m not sure when I stopped dancing. Just one day, I think I stopped.
When you’re adult it just seems like there’s not a lot of opportunity to dance, much less a reason. Life becomes routine. You get up during the week, go to work, bring home a paycheck, and pay your bills. It’s sort of like riding a merry-go-round. It just goes round and round and nothing really changes.
My life used to be like a merry-go-round - that was before I entered into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Now – my life is much like a roller coaster.
It’s exciting. It’s unpredictable. Sometimes I scream in fear as well as in delight. There are times when I laugh so hard I cry or cry because I’m scared. Sometimes I close my eyes, or throw my hands up in the air, and there are times when I find myself holding my breath. Other times it makes me sick and yet I still want to get back in line and ride it again and again.
Sounds a lot like life, doesn’t it?
However, regardless of the ups and downs, I know God is always right beside me. In fact, if you’ve invited Jesus into your heart to be your personal Lord and Savior… He’s with you all the time… even right now in this very instant. He’s amazing that way.
His grace turns the sometimes scary ride into an exciting, thrilling adventure.
You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
Isaiah 55:12 NIV
If you ask me, that’s definitely a reason to start dancing again.
David is a great example. He wasn’t afraid to dance in celebration of God. I’m not afraid either.
O, and when the love spills over
And music fills the night
And when you can't contain your joy inside, then
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus and live!
Untitled Hymn (Come to Jesus) by Chris Rice
I want to dance for Jesus!
I want to dance for Jesus and live!
I’ve decided to stop worrying about whether it’s the "right" time or the "right" place. I’m not going to worry about whether or not anyone is watching me either. I’m throwing caution to the wind and just going to start dancing.
I’ve got so much joy inside and I have so much to celebrate… dancing just seems like the most natural thing to do in order to express all that I feel inside.
a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
Ecclesiastes 3:4 NIV
Does anyone care to join me?