You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever. Ps. 30:11-12
David danced before the LORD with all his might. 2 Sam 6:14
Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp. Psalm 149:3
Lord Jesus, late last night, I felt like dancing—though my version of dancing is more of a spastic release of emotion than beautiful poetry in motion, I didn’t really care. My college basketball team (UNC) won the national championship. That’s all it took for this introvert to rejoice and dance around my hotel room with all my might.
But Jesus, you are the real Lord of the Dance. You give we non-dancers all the motivation we need to lose our inhibitions and get out on the dance floor of the gospel. You turn the wails of brokenness into the dance of joy. You have replaced the sackcloth of our sin and shame, with the garments of your mercy and grace. Astounding, astonishing, and so very true.
How can we keep from singing and making music in our hearts to you—even in a world of trouble and heartache, pain and loss? How can we possibly remain silent and immobile in our seats, when we ponder the measureless riches of grace—fully and freely ours in you?
By the Holy Spirit, enable us to hear the Father speaking to us right now, “My daughters and sons, you are always with me, and everything that is mine is yours” (Luke 15:31). Forgive us when we, like the elder brother, remain smugly on the outside—off the dance floor of grace and joy (Luke 15:25). If something as little as a sporting event can cause us great joy in the moment, how much more so should our union with Christ fill us with an “inexpressible and glorious joy” (1 Pet. 1:8)?
One Day, we will give thanks to you with all heart, soul, mind, and strength. All personal inhibitions, cultural prohibitions, and sinful limitations will be gone. We will be completely free at last! Hasten the Day, Lord. So very Amen we pray, in your grace-full and gladsome name.
