Dance With All Your Might

David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets. (2 Samuel 6:14-15)

The context here is that David is bringing the ark of the covenant to his home. Because at that time the ark was the most important object connected both to faith in God and to His actual presence on earth, you can possibly understand the joy of David at bringing it to his city.

Also it might help to realize that David was at first afraid to have the ark with him, for fear of God's wrath. When God blessed the household of the man who kept it for a time, however, David realized that God's blessings came to those who protected the covenant with God.

So he gathered his people and made sacrifice and as this holy of holies was brought into the city, he danced. And what I love is that he didn't just sway back and forth or tap his feet, but he danced with all his might. David threw himself bodily into worship of God. Plus he was only wearing a linen shift, which means that David, the great ruler who was bringing the ark of the covenant into the city named for him, could only care about one thing: worshipping God. He didn't care what he may have looked like to others.

David is always said to be a "man after God's own heart." True he had his problems. But if you want to see examples of someone who worshipped God with abandon, David is who you want to study and emulate. Not necessarily in dance. But what gift has God given you that you can give back? Do you sing? Draw? Write poetry? Or think of it this way. Did the verse say that David danced well? Or just that he danced?

There is something to be said for throwing yourself bodily into worship, whether or not you do it "well." Don't forget that we are also told to "make a joyful noise" unto the Lord. We are told to use our gifts for the glory of God, but I also believe that we are each called to worship Him by singing and dancing, in our own ways, and without regard to "talent." True, if we are leading a worship group then we likely need to have some gift in music, but are we always leading? If every worship leader only ever worships God when they are on the stage, then they are not actually focused on God enough to lead others to Him.

It is in the moments, both corporate and alone, that we let go of our reservations, and accept that God will give His blessings unto us, that we can truly worship Him with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength.

And then we will dance like David danced.