It’s Prom Season…
It’s prom season, so let’s talk about dancing. One of the enduring images I learned in theology class to describe the nature of God is an ancient one. Early Christians described the life of the Triune God as being a dance of mutual indwelling. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit live in an eternal, joyful, vibrant dance of love and honor, of giving and receiving. It is a powerful vision of particular persons working in perfect community.
The universe was created to express the dance of God, and God invites us to dance in celebration of this life we’ve received. Something goes awry, though, something anyone who has stumbled through an awkward prom date can understand. We sin. We ignore the rhythm. We reject the grace. We stomp on the toes of other dancers. We generally mess it up. God invites us back into the tempo of eternal, abundant life by giving us a partner named Jesus to take the lead. A relationship with Jesus discloses the face and pace of God’s own life.
As disciples, we are challenged to synchronize our steps to that common rhythm. Each one of us hears the music a certain way and will be tempted to move according to individual desire. Too often, we are content to listen to the beats of our own hearts, listening for the solo sounds of personal devotion or personal passions.
I think there is deep satisfaction in recovering the harmony and rhythm in the various steps of our lives as disciples, particularly when we seek them together as a church. There is a dance together that invites us into something greater than our individual comprehension. There is space to enjoy all of it: worship, fellowship, missions, spiritual formation, family, work, prayer and rest. Nicholas Wolterstorff said it this way: “The Christian life, when properly lived, is a rhythmic alternation between turning toward God in worship and running toward the world in love and with a passion for justice, between congregation and dispersal, liturgy and labor, worship and work, adoration and obedience.” The Scriptures make it plainer: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1) From this perspective, the church is a dance floor, and our congregation and community become partners in the dance of God.
There is much coming to us these days. Some of the steps we’ll take are familiar and some ware new. All of it can lead us to synchronize our work to the rhythm of God’s own heart, and (just as importantly) to leave open some space for new dancers, too.
Stay with it! Let’s continue to step away from the walls of the dance hall and step onto the floor. It may be a little awkward sometimes, but I’m sure we’ll find the beat as we remain attentive to the leadership of the Holy Spirit and to one another. Let us love faithfully, listen deeply and serve humbly. Let us remain courageous, curious, supportive, and gracious as we step into what we’ve rehearsed and what will require some improvisation. As we listen together for the deeper music of God’s will for us in the world, we might be surprised at how beautiful the joyful dance of life in Christ can become!
Grace and Peace,