A Dancing God

Zephaniah 3:17 "The Lord your God is in your midst, The Mighty One will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."

I love this verse. The incredible thought of God being in my midst- the blending of His presence with mine. I find such deep comfort in His promise to save. The reassurance of His strength and protection lifts my heart. In this truth, I'm able to take a deep breath and know that everything will be alright, no matter what is going on around me. His love steadies me and I experience peace and rest knowing that He loves me unconditionally. And I smile to think of God having a good time, dancing, and rejoicing over me.

How amazing to think that the Creator of all things believes I am worth celebrating. And that He is singing while He celebrates. When I pause and think about what this really means I can hardly believe it's true. After all, God spoke everything into existence. He said "Let there be..." and it was. We don't know if each act of creation was just a statement or a shout but the power and firmness of His Voice carried His Will into creative existence. So imagine... God singing.

What does God's singing voice sound like? Does it sound like a bubbling brook or the mighty crashing waves? Perhaps the echo of a hawk's cry in a canyon or the rushing whisper of a breeze through a sanctuary of trees on a mountainside. Does His singing fill the chambers of every heavenly realm? Or is it a harmonic strain that weaves it's way into the nooks and crannies of my heart?

And imagine God dancing... dancing, moving, swaying, spinning. God finding the beat, enjoying the rhythm, throwing His head back and laughing, "busting a move". There are tears in my eyes as I picture the purity and sincerity of a God who knows how to party. Our God sees us and celebrates us for who we really are- the pinnacle of His creation.

Oh how He loves us. He loves you. In case no one has ever told you before you- God celebrates your life. He enjoys your every breath, every moment of your life. In fact, He made you just so that you could know Him and His incredible love for you.

I know- at times I'm tempted to think it's too good to be true. But it is true. Take this week and let this truth wallow around inside your heart and mind. There is a God who loves you and celebrates you. He sings over you. He dances because of you.

Further encouragement:
Psalm 42: 8- "The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me..."
Deuteronomy 30:9- "...For the Lord will again rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your fathers"
Isaiah 65:19- "I will rejoice in Jerusalem, And joy in My people; The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, nor the voice of crying."

An Isaac Journey

Genesis 22:2- "Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."

"When the journey takes you where you don't want to go."

I sort of chuckle out loud when I hear this phrase. It seems so familiar to my life. And it does make me think of the story of Abraham. I'm reminded of how God interrupted his life and told him to leave his family, his country, and go to an unknown place. However that commanded invitation at least included a list of promised blessings- something to hold on for and look forward to. Abram had hope. (story found in Genesis 12)

But not so with the Isaac command. That time God simply gives a clear instruction with vague directions- no guarantee, no promises, just a test. And this isn't an ordinary test- God asks Abraham to relinquish what he holds most dear to his heart. In fact, God asks Abraham to give back the actual fulfillment of those promised Blessings.

Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever wondered why God would lead you down a dangerous or undesired path for no apparent reason? I know several times over the last few years I've experienced what I call "Isaac moments". Those situations or seasons of life in which God asks me to "let go of", "give up", or return something that previously was a blessing or an answer to prayer. Difficult at best, painful, agonizing, challenging, and ridiculous are words that hardly describe the realness of those times in my life.

But there is something encouraging in Abraham's story. A lesson that I try to grab hold of because I believe it is truth. And it all boils down to willingness and worship.

First, Abraham got up early to go on the dreaded "Isaac journey". Most assuredly, he didn't want to go and he didn't feel like going but he was convinced that willingness to obey was important to God. Secondly, when asked about what he was doing, he told people he was going to worship. He didn't complain, he didn't try to make the situation something it wasn't. Somewhere, at some point in time, he had realized that God knew something he didn't and that God could be trusted.

So my prayer is that during these Isaac journeys I am willing to go where God asks me to go and do what He asks me to do. Whether it is hard or painful, I desire to trust Him. I also pray that I have an attitude of worship. That my words speak of His Faithfulness and His Ability. So even as I look toward a mountain upon which a sacrifice must be made, I remember His familiarity with that journey- for He gave His only Son on a mountain- just so I could know Him. It is that kind of love that persuades me that God knows something I don't and He can be trusted.

Further encouragement:
Psalms 73:25-26- "Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
Isaiah 41:10- "Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God, I will strengthen You, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."
Philippians 3:8- "Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ"

The Threads of Life

Exodus 25:2 & 4 "...From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering...blue, purple, and scarlet thread.."

Encouragement found my heart this morning as I read through God's "how to build a tabernacle" instruction manual. That probably sounds a little strange so let me explain.

Right now during this season of life God is inviting me to give "threads" of my life to Him. Some of these threads are a result of plucking and tugging at snags and knots in the fabric of my life. (And yes, plucking and tugging has resulted in some holes that require a certain amount of stitching and mending.) Other threads have a mysterious past, I'm not exactly sure how or when they came into my possession.

Although uniquely colored and textured, individually these threads are not worth much- if anything at all. I don't know why I've held onto them this long except for the reason of habit and maybe just a bit of nostalgia. After all, who wants to forget memories.

I don't really understand what God wants with my threads. What could the Grand Artist and Designer of the universe, the Breath of Life, and the Master of all things do with some useless threads? And then, I read this...

Exodus 28:5-6 "...they shall take the gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and the fine linen, and they shall make the ephod of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, artistically worked."

My heart found hope this morning when I read those verses. God wants my threads, the ones that I willingly offer up to Him so He can fashion them into a holy garment for me to wear in service to Him. Those threads are not wasted. He has a plan to use them and me. But the formation of the holy garment requires His touch-His Artistic Design.

So willingly I offer my threads to Him and wait. And eagerly anticipate the day when I get to wear those threads and serve others on His behalf.

Further encouragement:
Isaiah 61:3- "To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness..."
Isaiah 61:10- "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness..."

*To learn more about the ephod, I recommend the following:
http://www.templemountfaithful.org/Newsletters/2001/5761-9.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephod
http://bibleencyclopedia.com/ephod.htm