Dance in your heart

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Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

This past Saturday was filled with grandchildren events. We got up early and went to Bushland to watch Piper, our 4 year old do her track meet. She did her broad jump, run her races and throw the softball. She did really well and other than being cold it was great.

Then after lunch we went to watch Amayah play basketball. She did well and her team won the game. It was really good to watch those girls run up and down the court as well as see them make their shots.

Then we drove back to Pampa to watch Harper in her Dance Recital. I just couldn’t believe that was my 10-year-old grand-daughter on the stage! She really did well in all her dances. I was so proud of how she did.

We got to see several other girls that we knew dance as well. It was something that I never thought I would enjoy so much, but just seeing them get out there and dance was so great. I was so proud of how well each of them did.

Then I thought of how bad a dancer I am! I am that guy who has two left feet when it comes to dancing. In high school I would step on girls toes and almost fall down. It was pretty sad so when people would talk about dancing not being what one should do, I just nodded my head in agreement.

Yet each time I watch Harper something in my heart changes. In the recital on Saturday one girl danced to a Christian song by Mercy Me called ‘Even If’. It was really good and when I heard the words to the song, my heart was filled with peace as well as joy.

The chorus to ‘Even If’ says --- “I know You’re able and I know You can save through the fire with Your mighty hand. But even if you don’t, my hope is You alone. I know the sorrow; I know the hurt would go away if You’d just say the word. But even if You don’t, my hope is You alone.”

My mind went to that old hymn that says – “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness, I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name, On Christ the solid rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand.”

Watching that young lady dance to the music and consider all that God has done for us made me think -- Why aren’t our hearts ‘dancing’ within us? I know I still can’t dance a lick, but that doesn’t mean that my heart can’t be filled with the music that moves my spirit to ‘dance’ in recognition of what God is doing in my life ‘even if’ all my hurt and pain doesn’t go away.

Psalm 149:2-4 says -- 2 Let Israel be glad in his Maker; Let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King. 3 Let them praise His name with dancing; Let them sing praises to Him with timbrel and lyre. 4 For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation.

The Psalms end in Psalm 150. It says --- Psalm 150:1-6 --- Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty expanse. 2 Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness. 3 Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre. 4 Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. 5 Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals. 6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!

As we praise the Lord we can do it through singing, maybe an instrument and even dancing. So the next time you see someone swaying to the music, just smile that they are allowing the music to praise the Lord with a dance in their heart.

JESUS, JESUS, JESUS, there IS something about that name!!

Christ only, always,

Bro. Paul

Brother Paul Nachtigall is the retired preacher at Highland Baptist Church. He can be reached at bropaul@centramedia.net.