“Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the LORD with all his might” (2 Samuel 6:14, NIV2)

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46, NIV2)

No one ever taught me to dance. It’s true that my Aunt Marie-Jeanne tried to teach me at my uncle’s wedding: “All you have to do is take three steps each time, 1-2-3, no matter which direction!” She said. I was about 10 years old at the time, and I had much better things to do than count 1-2-3! As a result, these instructions didn’t stay with me.

Twenty years later, I was invited, along with my wife, who also never learned to dance, to a Christmas party at my wife’s work. Neither of us realized there would be dancing, and when it became apparent to both of us that we weren’t going to get off without taking some steps on the dance floor, we shared a horrified glance. How would we pull this off?

At first it was quite painful. To look at, yes, but also physically so. It hurts when your partner steps on your toes, and I did my share of toe-stepping! It also didn’t help that we were going in opposite directions. We sure hoped that no one was watching us!

We finally realized that one of us had to lead, and the other, to follow. Once that was established, dancing became a bit more bearable. In fact, once we figured out how to dance without stepping on each other’s toes, the experience invigorated me, and I could have danced away the evening.

Life can be miserable at times. The storm clouds somehow seem to have gathered over our very homes, and just like my initial dance with my wife, we quickly become discouraged.

If we realize, however, that we are truly not alone, that God is at our side, if we realize that we must let God take the lead, we can rejoice, because He will see us through our bleakest moments, and we will find ourselves rejoicing and dancing before the Lord, just like David, full of vigor. With God in the lead, we can dance all through life, ever rejoicing that the One who leads us is in complete control. He knows the moves! We have nothing to worry about! It’s then that we become truly alive: On God’s dance floor!

“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,” (Colossians 2:13, NIV2)

Will you let Him take the lead?

Rob Chaffart

(To access the entire “Only in Jesus” devotional series, please click here.)