Dance then...

 

This past Sunday our choir did a Don Hart arrangement of “Lord of the Dance”.  The song, written originally in 1963 by the English poet and songwriter, Sydney Carter depicts Christ’s life as a dance.  Carter based the song on an old Shaker tune, “Simple Gifts”.    The Shakers, sometimes referred to as the “Shaking Quakers”, enjoyed dancing and in fact, used it as a part of worship.

 

Now, if we are to view Jesus’ life as a dance, and we know that we have a duty as Christians to emulate the life of Christ, then I must admit that I am in deep trouble!  I have two left feet and dancing is not my forte’.  Ah, but alas, the chorus assures me that I will be aptly lead:

 

“Dance then, 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!”

 

Sometimes our life dances are very somber and humbled.  Sometimes we dance methodically and in time, and sometimes we dance for joy.  But in every dance, Jesus leads us to bring praise and glory to God!  “…praise Him with tambourine and dancing, praise Him with the strings and flute…” Psalm 150:4.

 

May God bless you… and your dance!

Why Do We Fear? The Unknown

 

Several years ago, my daughter, then a Junior in high school, took a job at a local fast-food restaurant.  She was looking for a bit of independence and some extra spending money.  True to her nature, she invested herself into that job.  She learned quick, worked hard and rarely ever missed a scheduled shift.  Over the next 4 years, Emily received several promotions and minor pay increases.  But the frustrations with both management and fellow employees became a nagging problem.  Those frustrations along with the heavy workload did not match the minimal amount of pay she received.  On several occasions, I encouraged her to consider leaving that job for something more lucrative as server at a higher end restaurant, but she refused choosing instead to “put up with” her situation in fast food.

Finally, one day a co-worker and close friend left the fast-food restaurant to take a job as a server at another establishment.  This was the catalyst that led Emily to finally make the move.  She applied her work ethic to the new job and learned quickly.  She was excited to be compensated in relation to her work efforts.  Emily worked her way through college with that job, and later saved enough money to move from our home in Indiana to her own apartment in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.  She has made a comfortable life for herself, and I’m convinced that her willingness to take some risks in life will lead her to a place of deep faith in Christ serving others as He calls.

Our daughter’s life has unfolded as it has because she learned to overcome her fear of the unknown.  When we do not know what to expect, or what might happen if we take a certain road, fear will take root.  And if we allow that to happen, we jeopardize the life that God wants us to live.  We will fail to run on all cylinders.  Staying in a known “comfort zone” can lead us to become a slave to fear of the unknown.

As Christians, we overcome these fears through trust in God.  In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he writes, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7).  At some point in time, Emily had to put her faith forward and take the leap out of her comfort zone.  She needed to get past that anxiety and trust that God would lead her in the right direction. That leap led to great things and a much-needed boost in her confidence level.

 

 

 

Christian rock artist, Zach Williams wrote the single, “Fear Is a Liar”.  The chorus is a poignant reminder that we should put our faith and trust in God, and not the world:

“Fear, he is a liar

He will take your breath

Stop you in your steps

Fear he is a liar

He will rob your rest

Steel your happiness

Cast you fear in the fire

‘Cause fear he is a liar.”

 

Are the “what ifs” and the I don’t knows” stopping you from fulfilling God’s divine call in your life?  Has the fear of what we cannot see caused us to hide in our “safe places”.  Our reluctance to act, nestled warm and safe in that comfort zone may not only adversely affect our lives, but also the lives of those that Christ calls us to serve.  Don’t allow fear to rule in your life.  Listen, and be led by Christ.

New Year's Resolutions...God's Way

 

I don’t do new year’s resolutions.  Too much pressure!  I know myself well enough to know that I won’t stick with them.  I do much better with long term goals.  Goals that can be broken down into little pieces and slowly, but surely be realized.

It’s not cynicism, as suggested by one of my heroes, Dennis Prager in one of his latest fireside chats.  Prager is a fan of new year’s resolutions, and it is true, that he is ever the optimist.  But I’m not a cynic…I’m just a realist.  I believe in setting clear and obtainable goals.

Wait...what’s the difference?  Resolution or goal?  Setting the goal of writing one blog post per week is really a resolve to … write one blog post per week.  Hmmm?  Maybe I do believe in setting New Year’s resolutions.  Calling them “goals” does not change the fact that I am resolute and determined to follow through with a given task.

But I do find it easy to get caught up in the drive to obtain my goals and fail to listen to God’s call.  James addresses this issue in his letter to the twelve tribes.  “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’  Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.  What is your life?  You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’”  (James 4:13-15).

Certainly, there are things we can do each year to improve our well-being.  I can always stand to lose some weight and exercise more.  Eat healthier and dump the bad habits.  It’s good to make these things ongoing mantras in our lives with the understanding that healthy living puts us in a position to be at the ready to act on Christ’s call.  But it is that call that should always be our primary focus.  Not just during the first two or three months of the year.  Can you imagine what this world would look like if we moved away from our self-centered resolutions and put God in complete control of our lives? To listen intently to where he calls us to serve next.

So…this year I resolve to be a servant.  To go where God calls me.  I won’t always succeed because my “humanness” will get in the way.  But each day, I will embrace opportunities to serve.  May God bless us with those opportunities.  Happy New Year!