Life is like a dance. In a dance, we have to learn the basic steps before being considered a good dancer. Learning to dance does not happen overnight. We learn it step by step. So is life. The moment we came out of our mother’s womb we learn to dance. We start learning the basics of life. We start dancing.
What constitutes a dance?
• MUSIC - some people can dance without music. Music has beats. So the dancer follows the music beat. Although a dancer can dance without music but it still follows a certain beat. For a believer the music is the word of God. For a non-believer the music is “whatever” “whenever” and I’ll dance to it.
Romans 1:16 “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.”
• KNOWING THE BASIC STEPS - some people dance methodically. Some learn quick, some takes a while. Because there are certain rules to follow, dancing not only engages the physical body, it also engages the mind. Likewise, a believer must know what he believes and why he believes in them. It is being deep-rooted in the doctrines of the Bible. A non-believer is someone who does not know the essential Christian doctrines somewhat like a dancer who doesn’t know the basic steps of dancing that he just wiggles his shoulder, flicks his fingers, moves his feet back and forth or sideways and he’s dancing. Someone who is groping in the dark.
• SENSE OF RHYTHM - Do you dance cha-cha to a rap beat? Or do you dance jazz to a disco music? You may if you don’t have the sense of rhythm. To live a life according to the will of God is to have discernment. Christian life is being sensitive to God’s will.
Proverbs 19:21 says “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
• PARTNER - Some people dance with themselves. It is Ok. But those that dance with a partner looks more gracious and elegant. You cannot do the ministry by yourself. You have to have a partner. First of all our partner is the Holy Spirit who works in and through us. We don’t dance the ministry away by ourselves. We do it according to the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
• DYNAMIC - dancing takes energy, effort, strength, and joy without which is not exciting. Doesn’t life becomes exciting if we have Christ in us who gives us the strength?
Psalm 28:8 The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.
Psalm 68:35 “You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!”
Phil 4:13 “I can do everything through Him (Christ Jesus) who gives me strength.”
Life is like a dance. The moment you were conceived and as you were growing in your mother’s womb you move your limbs, rhythmically in synchronicity with the other parts of your body—you were dancing. But not until you got out of the womb, that you let out a wild scream and started dancing the DANCE OF LIFE.
We will all be dancing the dance of life until the day Jesus Christ comes back again. For Jesus is the real Lord of Dance, the Lord of Life. But let me ask you this:
What kind of dance will you be dancing?
In 2 Samuel 6 we find an account of the ark of God being brought to Jerusalem. The last time we read about the ark of God was in 1 Samuel 7:1,2. It had been sent back by the Philistines to Israel and was placed in the house of Abinadab in Kirjath Jearim.
Many years had gone by, David decided to bring it to Jerusalem, in order that the city might be the religious as well as the political capital. David took thirty thousand chosen men of Israel to get the ark. David set the ark on a new cart which he had made and with great jubilation went on with their journey. While on the way, the oxen stumbled then Uzzah reached out his hand to protect the ark that looked like it was going to fall but God struck Uzzah dead (v.7). David got scared and said “Wow this thing is powerful. Who can ever come near the ark? He was supposed to bring it to Jerusalem but David temporarily lodged it in the house of Obed-Edom (v.10).
A. DAVID DANCED TO THE MUSIC
David, for the next three months, investigated the scriptures as to how to carry the ark. The account in 1Chronicles 15:13-15 tells us that David discovered from the scriptures how the ark was to be moved :
Because you Levites did not carry the Ark the first time, the anger of the Lord our God burst out against us. We failed to ask God how to move it in the proper way.
So the priests and the Levites purified themselves in order to bring the Ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to Jerusalem. Then the Levites carried the Ark of God on their shoulders with its carrying poles, just as the Lord had instructed Moses.
God gave instruction as to the proper way of transporting the Ark:
Exodus 25:13-15 Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the chest to carry it.The poles are to remain in the rings of this ark; they are not to be removed.
Numbers 4:15 When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the sacred utensils, the Kohathites will come and carry these things to the next destination. But they must not touch the sacred objects, or they will die.
WHY DID GOD BECOME ANGRY?
At least for three reasons:
Firstly, David and his men set the ark on a cart. They carried it like the way the Philistines did. They were supposed to carry it according to the instructions given by God in Exodus. It was to be carried on two poles.
Secondly, it was instructed by God that no man should touch the sacred things of God. For the ark belongs to God and God is so holy that even the ark cannot be touched by sinful man otherwise they would die just as what happened to Uzzah. God is not being severe in his judgment against Uzzah it is because God is so Holy that a sinful man cannot even gaze upon. In fact, when the ark was temporarily lodged in the house of Obed-Edom, the Lord blessed him and his entire household (v.11).
Thirdly, the ark must not be carried by any ordinary men. God’s specific instruction that only the Levites or the priests are permitted to carry it.
Thus, David had a partner, the Lord. He’s now dancing to the beat. He’s now carrying the ark according to the will of God. He’s not only in partner with the Lord, he is also moving with a sense of rhythm—doing God’s very purpose step by step following God’s instructions and principles.
B. DAVID DANCED STEP BY STEP
Three months later, David went down to Obed-Edom and took the ark of God and brought it to the City of David. But when those who were carrying the ark had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. Because he wanted to make sure the Lord wasn’t still displeased. He wanted to make that this time what he’s doing is right. Isn’t dancing that way. If you don’t follow through step by step you will lose your part and ruin the entire dance and would displease your partner. During Noelle’s 18th birthday, the youth danced the coutillon because they danced step by step and the result was a beautiful, harmonious dance.
C. DAVID DANCED WORSHIPFULLY
David not only danced joyfully but worshipfully. This is literal dancing that we’re talking about here. David was supposed to be wearing a royal robe because he was a king instead he wore a linen ephod, a priestly garment worn by those who served before the Lord at his sanctuary (1Sam 2:18) danced a wild dance before the Lord. David didn’t care what people will say. He danced in the streets with all his might while the ark of God was being entered into Jerusalem. Without hesitation David danced. He went all the way praising God.
David danced with all his heart, mind, soul and strength—without being ashamed. But then his wife, Michal, saw him and she despised him for the act. To David it was worship, to Michal it was humiliation.
D. MICHAL DANCED COMPETITIVELY
She didn’t dance with David. From the window above, she watched David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and despised him in her heart (v.16). The original text (bazah) carries the idea that Michal looked down on David as one who is low or worthless. The word used was to despised someone who is disgusting, a morally evil person. She falsely accused him of indecently dancing in public “disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would.” (v. 20). She danced against him.
Isn’t it sad to know that the one whom you considered closest to you instead of complementing you is competing against you—your belief, your faith, your calling, your principles, your values.
For Michal, she was immediately punished by God for her pride but for David—God blessed him all throughout his life as king of Jerusalem.
E. DAVID DANCED PUBLICLY
David had a reason to dance the way he did.
v. 21 “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will he held in honor.”
Conclusion:
As Christians, the confession of our faith is not done in a secret time and place. It is a public testimony of our trust in the Lord, proclaiming our faith before all men, both believers and unbelievers. And what are the evidences of our testimony? We receive Him as our Lord and Savior before men. We come forward to be baptized demonstrating our faith in Jesus Christ. For in this, God is the one glorified for whatever good things happen in our life. The wild dance we dance before the Lord is motivated by the fact that God always puts in our heart that something awaits us at the end of our dance. What is that? ETERNAL LIFE! And there we will dance the wild dance of joyful worship and praises to God all throughout eternity!
Will you dance before the Lord of the Dance? Will you offer your dance to the Lord of Life?
