Have you ever taken dancing lessons?  Oh, if you have, I would love to be sitting across a table from you right now, listening to your stories!  There are so many interesting stories about why people started dancing lessons and the experiences they had while learning. 

My husband and I took ballroom dancing lessons a long time ago.  I believe it was in preparation for our wedding.  I thought the lessons were great fun.  I’m sure my husband enjoyed it too, but not as much as I did.  He seemed to struggle a bit with the steps and rhythm.  He was a good sport about it and would always make me laugh.  I probably got into trouble most lessons for taking the lead instead of following his lead.  I had to focus to sense his gentle guidance while ballroom dancing.

We also took square dancing lessons with some of our dear neighbors.  Oh, the laughs we had!  In square dancing, all the dancers respond to the “caller” who calls out a specific dance movement.  These movements sometimes require everyone to do the same thing.  Other times some dancers stand in place, clapping or so on, while others dance.  Sometimes all the men do something, sometimes all the ladies, or maybe just certain couples.  Many times, dancers rotate partners.  It is a great way to meet other people.  Square dancing is truly a group effort. 

I have found dancing to be a lot like a life of faith.  God gives us direction and guidance.  Sometimes He uses gentle nudges, as in ballroom dancing, and other times He calls, like in a square dance.  The important thing is to follow His lead.  He is the Lord of the dance.  As dancers, we don’t need to know the entire dance!  God will lead us through the dance one movement at a time.  Our job is to follow His lead or call throughout the dance.

Sometimes being a part of the dance means not dancing.  It’s not always our turn.  This is most obvious in square dancing, but it can also happen in ballroom dancing.  Think of Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire trading off dance solos.  When a dancer is waiting for their turn, they are still engaged in the dance.  The one not dancing may clap their hands, focus and draw attention to the other dancer’s steps, or otherwise support the one(s) dancing.  Just because one isn’t dancing doesn’t mean they aren’t part of the dance!  Sometimes we are called to a time of rest or stillness.  Other times we are led to focus on someone else and support them in their dance. 

Life, like dancing, is certainly a group effort.  We help each other out.  In square dancing, if a dancer would get off track or miss the call, the others would help him/her get back to doing the move they were supposed to be doing.  We would help each other practice difficult or confusing movements.  Each of us helped one another succeed, because if others succeeded, we would all succeed. 

Learning to dance can be challenging enough, but there is also outside interference.  We can get bumped into and jostled on the dance floor.  Someone will try to cut in.  You can bet, Satan would like nothing more than to distract you and subtly cut in, whisking you away from your Beloved Partner and His dance.  It takes focus to hear God’s call and detect His gentle guidance.  Being attentive and having a good team will thwart many of Satan’s efforts.

Dancing with God is a joy.  It is not easy, but challenging and no doubt you’ll have soreness in muscles you didn’t know existed.  We will experience times of confusion and tears in this dance of life.  But with our great God there will also be laughter; laughter with your Beloved Partner and with your team.  We were designed to dance His dance.  There we will find joy.

Dance, dance, wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the dance, said He,
And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be,
And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said He.
(Chorus from The Lord of the Dance)

Sway and waltz to the meter of these verses this week:
Jeremiah 31:3-14
Galatians 5:25-6:10
Hebrews 11:6-16
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
1 Peter 2:9-21