I Hope You Dance

As the ark of the Lord came into the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter [David’s wife], looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart. (2 Samuel 6:16 AMP)

Lee Ann Womack made the song "I Hope You Dance" famous and popular in the year two thousand. In the video presentation she is singing to her daughters. She is offering them motherly advice, and she strongly suggests that they always choose to dance. "And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance I hope you dance"

The song implies that dancing is optional, a choice. You can decide to sit it out or you can take every opportunity to dance. That is to say to live life to the fullest: be fully alive. The power to live and dance according to the song is determined by the individual.

In the referenced scripture, Michal, Saul's daughter (David's wife) had the option to dance and live but she sat it out. She wasn’t moved when she saw the ark of the Lord (God's covenant and symbolic presence). Neither was she moved by the excitement of her husband dancing. She was not impressed or stirred up by the presence of God or the success of her husband, David, in restoring the ark of the Lord to Israel.

Michal had contempt for, and despised, King David in her heart; and her heart would not give her permission to celebrate, dance or live. She was held hostage by past disappointments that hindered her from exuberance and excitement. She chose to stay bitter, broken and barren.

Deciding to dance or live after being hurt or wounded is not always easy, but it is doable with the grace of God. The apostle Paul told the church of Corinth "we are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed" (2 Cor. 4:8-9). Notice the framework of the verses. There is an admission of the pain and hurt on the one side of the comma, but then there is affirmation that God can help us each to overcome and get past the trouble, perplexity, despair, rejection or whatever there may be on the other side of the comma. Simply and plainly, God will get us through the pain because God wants us to live and dance.

God wants us to have life and have it more abundantly (John 10: 10). God never intended for us to sit life out and watch others dance. God wants God’s children to live and dance. God sacrificed God's son, Jesus, so that, we would be saved, live and dance (John 3:16). So, "Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens. Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance, and when you get the choice to sit it out or dance I HOPE YOU DANCE.....I HOPE YOU DANCE".

Prayer: Lord, life at times can be unfair and unreasonable and it can affect my ability to rejoice and have joy. But your Son came so that I can have life and live it to the fullness (John 10:10). I choose to live and not die and declare your works (Psa. 118) and I will tell my soul always to hope in God (Psa. 42). I will not live a bitter and defeated life and be Christian. I will trust your plan for my life and I will live and dance, In Jesus' Name. Amen


God's Peace and Good Journey!
+t. anthony bronner