Dancing with the Lord

Psalm 32: 8

I will instruct you and teach you in

            the way you should go;

I will counsel you and watch over

            you.

I once had an opportunity to take ballroom dance lessons. I enjoyed learning how to salsa, two-step, and swing. To be guided across the wooden dance floor made me feel energized. My heart beat with the music and I felt alive. The reality of my everyday world was swept away as I concentrated on being a conscientious follower for the gentleman who led me from one end of the ballroom to the other end and back again.

At first, though, it was a battle of wills. Never mind that he was the professional and a man, I wanted to lead. I had a difficult time giving up control. We were stepping on one another’s toes, I began turning one direction as he tried to twirl me in another, and more than once, we had to stop and “begin again”.

The situation improved when he gave me three vital instructions. First, relax! Dancing is not supposed to be work, it’s recreation. Secondly, don’t anticipate, trust your lead. The gentleman will guide his partner with his hands. Lastly, keep eye contact. When two people are in close physical proximity, as in dancing, verbal communication is almost unnecessary for direction when they choose to look at one another intently.

Has it ever occurred to you that God wants to be your dancing partner? He longs for the chance that you might say yes to His invitation to hold you in His arms as He leads you through the busy and often crowded dance floor of life. He seeks for the chance to lead you away from potential collisions with other dancers. God yearns for a time that you choose to give Him all of your attention and look Him in the eyes.

But how often do we allow ourselves the pleasure of dancing with our Lord? Are the days of our lives so filled with family, career, and ministry obligations that we forget to relax? Remember, while God has certainly called us to love and serve one another, we also need to give ourselves down time each day. Literally stop and smell the roses, take heart in the sound of children’s laughter, bask in the colors of the sunrise, be soothed with the gentle breeze as it tickles your eyelashes.

Speaking of obligations, has God given you His stamp of approval on your “to do list”? Are you allowing God or preventing God from guiding you into uncharted territory to accomplish His goals? I’m learning that when I anticipate the direction of my life, I am taking control of it. My Lord is anxiously waiting for me to consent to his plan everyday. How is it with you? Is God being permitted to guide you by the small of your back and take the lead as you dance through your daily life?

Finally, dear friends, are you looking God in the eyes? No one can deny that this last suggestion requires the most vulnerability. In reading His Holy Word, we know God’s intention for us. Through meditation we come to understand his love, mercy, and grace. By prayer we humbly submit to his Lordship. Our lives will be changed.

Becoming a professional ballroom dancer demands a great deal of training. Likewise, it takes practice to develop the habits of a disciplined child of God. Every morning as your eyes open to the start of a new day, you can find God’s hand stretched out waiting for you to accept His invitation. Will you dance with God today?