Deny Or Dance
Seek the Lord and sing His praises whether you are celebrating a new season or have experienced suffering. The fool denies God. The faithful recognize that He is always present.
“After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. Then David said, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God…consecrate yourselves and bring up the ark of the Lord…It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that the Lord our God broke out in anger against us. We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way.” And the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded…David told the leaders…to make a joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals. So David and the elders…went to bring up the ark of the covenant…with rejoicing. David also wore a linen ephod…Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart.” 1 Chronicles 15:1-29
As David settled in his home, it was important to him to make sure to seek and set God’s presence there. He had failed the first time by not listening and trying to bring the ark on a new cart. David learned his lesson and committed to following God’s way. Rather than fighting against God’s plan or getting upset at his failures, David simply did what was right. Often, the best thing we can do when we fail is just do the next right thing we know to do.
David must have been a fun guy to be around. He did not do anything halfway or spare any expense to celebrate God. Bringing the ark to Jerusalem sounds like a Fourth of July parade. People danced and celebrated and rejoiced. There is something so powerful about knowing that God is with us. It gives us hope and strength. It encourages our souls and sets us free from our fears. What is your response to God’s presence? The same God that was with them then is with you now.
Not everyone celebrated. Michal was more than a little annoyed at seeing her husband dance half-naked. A linen ephod is akin to silk pajamas that may be see-through. Look at the difference between David and Michal. David did not care what anyone thought and wanted more than anything to celebrate God fully. Michal’s sole focus was on the poor performance of a person rather than choosing to find her place in the parade. Like Michal, our hearts can close quickly if our minds are not focused on Christ. Where is your focus today?
“The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt…God looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt…Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on God. But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to dread. When God restores his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!” Psalms 53:1-6
David packed some deep thoughts into a short song. He said a fool denies God and does not follow His ways. David then takes it further and says everybody falls short. All of us need a Savior. So David calls out the fools, but then reminds his fellow man that even faithful people can fall away.
The question is not if you will sin. You will. The difference between the faithful and the unfaithful, the wise and the fool, is whether they listen and repent when they realize they have done wrong. God knows that you will have times when you give in to your fleshly desires or do what is wrong in His eyes. He cares more about your returning to Him than endlessly recounting your failures. Where do you need to let go of guilt or shame? Are you willing to move on so God can do a new miracle in your life?
Do not beat yourself up. Rather, choose to do what is best. Seek Him. Prepare room for His presence. Like the priests who carried the ark, consecrate yourself and get ready for times of celebration. God does not want you to continue to walk the dead-end road. He wants you to learn to delight in His ways and do what is right.
David said sinners are constantly afraid when there is nothing to fear. Is there a more relevant message for our modern world? Remember, during the Great Depression, during one of the hardest times in United States history, Franklin Roosevelt said we have nothing to fear but fear itself. David said the same thing. If God is with us, what can stand against us? If we are the people of God, and we have the promises of God, then perhaps we should walk with boldness by the power of God. Where have you been afraid? Are you willing to give that fear to your Heavenly Father?
“How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much more pleasing is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume more than any spice! You are a garden…you are a spring…You are a garden fountain, a well of flowing water streaming down from Lebanon.” Song of Songs 4:10-15
Is it possible to live a day where God’s love and His presence so fill your heart that you simply delight from morning until night? If that seems like a far-off dream, is it possible to live an hour? Is it possible to delight in God for several minutes? Can you free your mind of all the anxious thoughts, all the daily duties, and all the everyday activities and simply dwell with Jesus?
Jesus said I am the vine and you are the branch. He wants to be the source of our strength. When we read the Song of Songs, we get a picture of the covenant life that God calls us to embrace. It is a never-ending honeymoon. It does not mean every day or every moment is easy. You can have troubles on a honeymoon, but troubles do not derail the delight you have because love so captivates you that you keep the troubles in perspective.
Perhaps today is the day to return to your first love. The love of Jesus Christ. When you spend time with Him, you will hear the truth. He will declare identity statements like the ones in this passage above that say that you are my bride, a fountain, a stream, a vessel of my life-giving love that flows through you. God wants to teach you to delight in Him and feel His delight in you.
“Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself…Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit…You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people…Then the high priest and all his associates…were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles…But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out…At daybreak they entered the temple courts…and began to teach the people…The apostles were brought in…Peter…replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!…Gamaliel, a teacher of the law…stood up…Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged…The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering…Day after day, in the temple courts…they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.” Acts 5:1-42
This passage has a lot to unpack. How do we go from the beautiful love of bride and bridegroom that Solomon described to pretending we sold land at a different price? How do we end up with Pharisees imprisoning people for healing people and proclaiming good news? Corruption of the heart and mind instead of Christ at the center of one’s life.
Three things emerge from the connections in these texts. A fool says in their heart there is no God, a fool listens to fear, and a fool allows jealousy of others to steal their joy. Are any of these impacting your heart today?
The Ananias and Sapphira story may be hard to stomach, but at the core are hearts that deny God. Both of them acted as though God did not know their hearts or see their true intentions. The story may seem extreme, but we are susceptible to the same trap if we act as though God does not exist.
We might not like to admit it, but we can act a lot like Ananias and Sapphira. Every time we gossip or talk badly about someone else, we are acting like a fool who denies that God hears every word we say. Every time we choose to do what is envious, jealous, evil, wicked, or corrupt instead of what is right, just, or humble, we are acting like God does not see what we do. There are millions of ways that we deny God. David said all fall short.
Confession and turning to Christ will cleanse and consecrate our hearts. These help prepare room for us to be filled with God’s presence so that, like the priests, we can carry God’s presence with the holiness He expects. What do you need to confess today? How does God want to consecrate you so you can step into the triumphal procession as you carry His presence?
Gamaliel was wise. Like us, he did not know what to think about everything he saw, but he knew that God’s will cannot be stopped. So he spoke up, encouraging others to be humble and let God be God. What if we took the same approach as Gamaliel when we were unsure of what to think when others around us did not act like us? Would that approach not help us calm fears and keep cool heads?
The disciples just kept going forward despite the oppression they faced in the world around them. They were singularly focused on doing God’s will. They had a song in their hearts regardless of whether they saw signs and wonders or experienced times of suffering because of the oneness they experienced in Christ.
Jesus wants you to have the same experience of intimacy today as they did in that day. He invites you to prepare your heart so He can fill you with His presence. He wants you to be humble like David, admitting when you have carried the ark the wrong way or not listened to His commands, so that He can break down any barriers that keep you from being a spring of living water of His love like Solomon described in Song of Songs.
Jesus wants you to experience the freedom in your heart to dance with all your might and make a joyful noise. Do not let anything hold you back. Not fear of not having enough like Ananias nor fear of whatever others will think. You were made to praise, and the truth is, you have every reason to celebrate. Jesus is alive and His presence is always with you.