Learning to Dance

In the midst of a busy and hectic summer schedule, I often have to remind myself to slow down and let God be in charge. It reminds me of when I learned to dance and my dad would say, “Carol, let me lead.”

You see, my dad was a ballroom dancer, which for a Southern Baptist deacon was an odd thing to be. I remember as a little girl, I watched as he twirled my mom around our living room, looking into her eyes with such love that it was as if they were the only two people in the room. As I watched them, I longed to be the girl in my daddy’s arms, to be that special, and sometimes I would say, “Daddy, teach me to dance.”

My daddy would reach down and place my feet firmly on top of his. Then he would teach me, very slowly, the steps of the dance. As I grew more confident in the steps, I would step off of his feet, but with my head down, concentrating on the steps that my feet performed. Occasionally, I looked up to see if there was approval in his eyes. Over time, my feet became sure of the steps, and I no longer looked down, worrying if the steps were right. Instead, I looked up into my daddy’s eyes, placed my hand in his, and let him lead me, twirling me around and around, pouring his love into me with every step.

All that to say, I think I’m still learning to dance. But the dance I’m learning is that of true worship. My feet are planted firmly on top of the feet of my Father, and He’s teaching me the steps of the dance. I’m longing for the day when I won’t worry about the steps, but will instead, look up into my Daddy’s eyes, place my hand in His, and let Him lead me. Until then, I’m content to say, “Daddy, teach me to dance.”

John 4:23-24
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshiper worships the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and truth.

“Father, today, teach me to worship you. Show me how to move with you in the silent rhythm that is the music of our spirits intertwined. Focus my eyes on you and not on the things of this world. Take my hand and lead me as I worship you with everything that I have, unaware and unconcerned about what those around me will think. Let my heart be absorbed, yes consumed, by how much you love me.”