The big night finally came… Blake and Sheri’s wedding. It was very nice and Blake and Sheri looked great. Everything went smoothly… at least from a spectator’s viewpoint, and everyone was in humorous mood. About 9:45pm I leaned over to my wife and said, “Look at that!” Ronzi and Mike on the dance floor; truly some things in life are priceless. It was great, Mike busted out moves that I haven’t seen in quite a while and some that… well… I have never seen, but they were awesome. We cheered them on, taunted them just a bit, and I was let known how jealous I was of the amazing moves… and that ultimately, I had been “served.” Let’s just say my stomach hurt from laughing. My wife and I were talking about the dance floor (we are not dancers), and came to the conclusion that regardless of every person’s ability to dance, everyone on the dance floor was having fun. They didn’t care if they were the worst or best dancer out there, they were just enjoying life.
It got me thinking about King David in the bible and when he dances in front of the Ark of the Covenant in his undergarments. David didn’t care what people thought, he wasn’t interested in impressing anyone, he was just loved worshiping his God.
Today so many of us worry what others will think about us regarding our faith that it stops us from stepping out and being bold for Christ. But what does it matter what others think? Are we trying to impress man, or honor our God? Our we mindful of Christ, or the “popular” crowd at school and work?
I can’t speak for the rest of the world, but I know that I want to be the type of person who will dance in my underwear for Jesus (though I do feel sorry for those who might see such a frightening sight). I want to be bold for my God. I want to be salt and light to my generation. Like David, I want to be a man after God’s own heart. I want to go out, not care what others think or say, take the dance floor and bust it up for Jesus. I pray that you do as well.
See you on the dance-floor!
Brent
Yes I must agree with Brent that the dancing at the wedding was, yes I will use the word (and no I don’t have Mike’s permission!) epic, it was epic! but too I have to agree with you Brent, that i want King David’s boldness too. It’s letting go of consciousness of self and thoughts of self and others around you too and I think that the only way that we as humans can do that, who can put so much weight on our physical senses, is by consciously and decisively placing our focus so intensely on God that our spiritual senses take priority and they become what we give our attention to. It can be really hard to focus in, taking all other thoughts captive so that it becomes an intimate communion between God and you, but that is where there is no fear and abundant clarity, and we can be completely obedient to whatever He says, and completely bold. I really struggled with stepping out in front of people for a long time or even really saying God’s name when talking to non-Christians. Well God has taken me a long ways, but the point is that that fear, NOT FROM GOD!, is so binding and paralyzing that that there is no way to step out in abandonment to God when you’re operating in that. Fear of God is good, but not the fear of man. The Bible says that we need to reverently and worshipfully fear God, but not man. We have no reason! I’m so glad to know that now. In Isaiah 51:12, God is speaking to His people about their fear saying, “I, even I, am He Who comforts you. Who are you, that you should be afraid of man, who shall die, and of a son of man, who shall be made [as destructible] as grass,” the next verse goes on to say, “that you should forget the Lord your Maker…” and it goes on to list the different wonders that God has done by His mighty hand. The point is though, when I get into fear of man, it’s because I’ve lost sight of who God is, that I have forgotten the Lord my Maker. If I would remember who it is that serve, like verse 15 says, He is “the Lord your God, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar and Who by rebuke restrains it-the Lord of hosts is His name.” Wow, and I’m worried about asking my boss for time off at work. How quickly I forget the God I serve, my creator and my Father, who loves me intimately and has also laid to waste thousands and thousands in battle, the name above all names and above ALL rule and authority and power and dominion, we serve the God of all of the earth! chewing on that for a few minutes definitely puts things into perspective for me and suddenly asking my boss for a day off, the fear of man, is not such a huge deal. Remembering who God is makes it so much easier to step out in boldness and to have a pure heart at the same time. Ok the dealership is closing and it is time to go home! And then off to Mike’s bible study tonight. Happy Easter everyone!
Yes, you did get served, Brent. It was truly an epic night of wonder, sweat, and unbridled enthusiasm.
And for the record, King David would have totally approved of the “Shopping Cart” and the “Haberlein Slide”.
“His moves… so original… so breathtaking…”
-Mike