Be still and--Dance!

I am blessed to attend a church where the choir leads worship.

We have a praise band and a worship team of soloists on the front row. And the choir is there the whole time, encouraging the congregation to enjoy the Lord and give back enjoyment to Him. Sometimes it's one hundred people in choir enjoying the opportunity to minister to the church and to the Lord.

Recently we cut our second CD. Lots of Christmas presents, LOL

What goes through our minds as we worship there?

Of course, the lyrics of whatever wonderful song we're singing at the moment. Total Praise. Revelation Song. Wednesday--Days of Elijah, Jesus Paid it All, You Humble Me.

And also, obviously, the One we're singing to. And about. Our audience of One.

And a desire to help bring listeners to the Throne Room and prepare their hearts to receive the Word of God presented in truth and love.

And finally, and very important to me, I think of God's heart. He spelled it out--how He likes to be worshipped.

We've all read Be still and know that I am God. A lot of time we are to be still and receive, or just be still because that is appropriate.

I also think about other things He likes and therefore are are appropriate. He says a lot more about that.

For one thing, He wishes people everwhere would pray lifting holy hands without anger or doubting.

He says to lift up our hands in the sanctuary and make him happy!

He inhabits the praises of His people.

He says to make a joyful noise. (He probably said that knowing I'd be "singing" one day.)

He also said to shout, clap hands, play all kinds of instruments, and do creative movement.

No, wait, I can say it: dance!

LOL Like in that great Leon Patillo song from back in the '70s, Dance, Children, Dance!

Because He says He takes delight in His people. He wants to party hearty with us! Doesn't that touch your heart? To be delightful to God in our worship!

I know this from a little word study on hands at Biblegateway.com, and also in the last two Psalms by that man after God's own heart, that dancin' King David.

Years ago at a Jesus Festival in Orlando, the late, great Jamie Buckingham taught us to dance under the stars, just a step and a kick, and a step and a kick and a little persuasion, and soon, we were dancing. Next night, no persuasion necessary. This was not part of the staid tradition I grew up or was in then. But now it was part of my tradition. We, thousands of us, were dancing before the Lord and loving it.

Think about when that darlin' Gator QB Tim Tebow charges down the field, turning, raising his hands to catch the ball, and take off, staggering under one tackle, pushing away another, dodging yet another, gaining yard upon yard, finally crossing the goal line to victory. We cheer and dance and get all free and exuberant celebrating his crossing the goal.

Why not do the same for our Lord and Savior?

Imagine how Satan watched Jesus suffer torture and slowly die and be placed in a cold tomb. You know Satan was all ready to make that victory dance, when wait a minute, the stone was rolled away and the Son of the Most High was not dead, He was alive again, and came forth from the tomb, radiant, glorious, triumphant, escorted by joyful angels!

You know Jesus must have danced! They all must have danced!

Jesus reached His goal!

All for us! For those we love. For those we haven't met yet.

I cannot sit still for long when I think of that! Can you?

The least I can do for Him is what He asked for in His house on His day--Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and make the Lord happy! What a privilege!

Living, He loved me. Dying He saved me. Buried, He carried my sins far away. And rising, He justified, freed me forever, one day He's coming back, glorious day! Oh, glory hallelujah... to the risen King!

That's what's in my spirit as I sing in the Worship Choir.

And once in a while, just a little, I dance!