Dance Like There Is No Tomorrow

Is dancing evil? I’ve seen many beautiful expressions of praise and worship through dancing. So is it the type of dancing that offends so many or is it simply “tradition” to be offended?

Everyone knows that dancing can be a sexual arousal, a prelude to sex. But like most everything in this world, dancing has been made into something evil. The world takes things that were once pure and perverts them.

I wasn’t raised in a church. I was raised without knowing God but I knew music and dancing. When I was upset or feeling bad, I would turn on my music and dance. I never knew why it made me feel better or how I could forget my problems long enough to find a resolution to them but it worked. I can look by now and see that my dancing (alone in my room or in the basement of my parents house) was between me and God. As I danced, my thoughts reached out to something or someone to help me. Now I know I was praying that God would help me. That He would tell me what to do or show me. I didn’t know God but He knew me. Was He embarrassed by me dancing? Was He offended? I don’t believe He was. The dancing was for Him only. I believe I was praising God before I knew Him because of the gift He gave me; dance.

Many years passed since I was that teenager (even pre-teen) dancing before God. I know God now. I still feel that strong pull to dance but churches frown on dancing. Why? David danced before the Lord. If churches are following the Bible, they should be embracing dancing as a part of praise and worship.

I understand that there are people who have turned this beautiful form of praise into something sordid and ugly. But as Christians, shouldn’t we fight for any way that we can praise God? This world has taken so much from people. I know we were willing to hand them over, but I’m not willing to hand over the feeling of peace and joy that dance brings when done for worship.

If you have never been to a service where dance is part of the worship, you are missing out on one way to praise God. You are missing a blessing. You are settling for an average experience. Dance doesn’t have to be wild abandonment (unless you are privately praising God; then let go completely and hold nothing back).

Dance can be incorporated with hymns, choruses, contemporary Christian, or any other music played in your church. Start praying today that God will call someone to dance. It only takes one person willing to abandon the thought that dance is dirty, immoral, or sexual. That person opens them self to all that God wants them to be and do. God will give them the dance that is pleasing to Him. Let the Holy Spirit lead you. Then it is time to dance like there is no tomorrow…

SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE:

1 Samuel 18:6-7 – When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with tambourines and lutes. As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”

2 Samuel 6:14-15 – David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.

Psalm 30:11-12 – You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.

Psalm 149:3 – Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp.

Jeremiah 31:11-13 – For the Lord will ransom Jacob and from the hand of those stronger than they. They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will rejoice in the bounty of the Lord – the grain, the new wine and the oil, the young of the flocks and herds. They will be like a well-watered garden, and they will sorrow no more. Then maidens will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. Therefore honor God with your body.