The Dance

January 5^th was one of my last posts… It’s been awhile—yeah, I know.

Several someone’s have left messages on the website of late, encouraging me to quit slouching and begin writing anew, of which I am thankful. I am truly grateful for your support. It means so much, especially now.

Getting back to the 5^th, this post was entitled Victory over Depression and the solution I heartily espoused was praise. Praising God with a thankful heart—overflowing with love—acknowledging His mercy and grace is essential to winning the battle over depression. This is something we MUST do. T.W. Tozer, in his book, The Pursuit of God, states that “that the trust we put in God, honors Him much and draws down great graces.”

Ironically, a week to the day of my boisterous post, I slipped on the wet marble and fell down the stair case leading out of our apartment and broke my leg. Breaking a fibula had to be one of the most painful experiences I’ve encountered to date, especially while going to the urgent care clinic and emergency room and bumping along roads full of poorly constructed speed bumps, potholes galore and among drivers who constantly stop suddenly in front of you or cut you off, resulting in much dramatic brake action… As awful as that was, even more painful now is being restricted to the apartment, namely the couch for the last 400 hours or so by myself.   No visitors with encouragement, no treat-sies, or even silent accusations as per the friends of Job … Just me, a little cat, and a view. Oh, God’s presence has been with me even though I didn’t always acknowledge Him or His goodness and grace. So today in despairing loneliness and depression, God drew me to my blog to read my own post. It was good. It is truth and you may need a refresher as well.

I am sure right about now, you probably want to click out after reading all this rot–my 2 week pity party over a broken leg; so blessings to you if you do, but if… if… you will hang with me for only another moment, I will tell you what God has shown me thus far…

Let me just say, our gracious and loving Lord has fine wit.   He sent me a devotional in my regular prayer book called The Dance. Dancing? REALLY God? Walking is a vague dream since I have and will be non-weight bearing for at least another month with weekly X-rays imposed to validate compliance to the medical regime. Using my leg is not an option with the surgeons standing at the ready for an alternate solution if the bones don’t stay together or heal. So, this is my lot…every day for a while. All that to say, the part I want to share with you speaks volumes. The Dance was taken from Matthew 14. After reading it, I realized that sometimes God calls us to things we fear, hate, or have no interest in, to teach us to dance solely with Him and in so doing, praise.

“No one else could dance like that” by Caroline McKinney Karnes.

Before meeting the disciples on the boat, Jesus is alone on the mountain.   He walks down slowly—grinning after listening to affectionate words from his father and soaking up the stillness after a day crowded with people and noise. His eyes sparkle as God stirs the wind and sprinkles refreshing drops of rain onto his face through the evergreen boughs. Jesus probably loves walking on water the way I love walking on the beach in a storm. The fury of the wind and water careen ecstatically about, but he doesn’t feel scared, just exhilarated by nature swirling through the air and at his fee. He is dancing in the waves while the disciples cower in fear. Peter senses this wild peace as Jesus approaches:

“Don’t be afraid,” Jesus laughs

as he sees the stricken faces

and hears a barely audible

whisper, “It’s a ghost—“

from the quaking boat.

“Its only me.”

Peter, scared as the rest

but intrigued by the peace

in the voice

stutters through fear,

“Jesus, if it’s really you,

ask me to come dance on the water.”

“Come,

dance with me,” answers Jesus.

So Peter steps off the boat

onto the whirling, raging dance floor.

He looks into Jesus’ eyes,

letting him lead the first steps

on the water,

and, for a few miraculous moments,

they dance.

Amazed at the wildness of the dance,

Peter looks away just as the

sea and sky and fish

dance more fiercely to welcome

him to the revelry.

Fear grips him as

he begins to sink,

realizing his feet

are anchored on nothing

but mystery,

moving to a rhythm

he doesn’t yet understand—

though nature seems to know

the same song that coursed through him

in the beginning,

which frightens and excites

him all the more.

“Lord save me!” he cries

and looks up to find the playful eyes

of the One he has come to love

but not understand.

“Why did you doubt?” Jesus smiles

as he reaches down for Peter’s frigid hand

and pulls him gently into the boat.

“We could have danced all night.”

The storm slows its dance to the

rhythm of waves lapping a lullaby

against the small boat.

Disciples look in awe

on the peaceful, smiling One

and their friend

who is beginning to never recover

from a taste of the dance.

“Truly you are the Son of God,” they mutter.

I praise you God for broken legs, loneliness and anything else that draws us to You! Like in Deut 6, the Shema, You are our God, You are the One and Only. You are our joy, our peace, our identity… Help us to honor You in all things. Help us to sing and dance Your praises with our children, our friends, our neighbors and in our communities so that everyone will see Your goodness and never recover from the taste of the dance. In Your Holy name, Yeshua al Massah. Amen.