Dancing with the King

Sanctuary- an orderly place, with worship team on the stage, congregation singing and awaiting the pastor to give a life-changing [or boring/dry] message, smiles at familiar faces, few handshakes to welcome ‘the new’, and an appropriate position of a Church- goer: sit in silence, worship standing, and faces looking nowhere, but at the pastor, showing their interest and ‘involvement’. Church- as people, for which Christ Jesus died, few believers living out their faith and worshiping the Lord with their bodies and lives 24/7, laying on of the hands to pray for the needy with a trust and faith, that God will do His work, belief that Jesus Christ is alive and His Holy Spirit works among us, on daily bases, the appropriate position of worship is not required, as the body is the temple of the living God- the body always worships its Creator.

There was a homeless man, looking dirty, having old clothes with holes on, rejected by the society ruled by materialism and pride. He was weak, because his body was taken over by hunger and thirst. He was never invited into the Sanctuary, because people were ashamed of him, and thought that his presence and image would scare away the new visitors, as the church claimed to be ‘an outreach’ place. He tried to get in few times, but the security of this church, escorted him out to the front of the parking lot. There was something mysterious about the faith of this man; he knew that church was the place to be and he trusted that every day was new day, and that God’s mercies were new each day, so he kept coming back. Sunday service- he was there, Wednesday afternoon service- he was there and so were the same people, but nobody dared to talk to him or feed him. Until one day, when two young men in their 20’s maybe, who just graduated from college, visiting the town drove by him and saw his heart of faith and brokenness. They parked the car, prayed in their hearts, and led by the Spirit of God went to meet him. He nodded with his head bowed down, sitting on the cold winter ground, as he was too weak from hunger to try to stand up and his humbled and broken heart, that was constantly stabbed by other Christians and society, was also too weak to make an eye contact with another. John immediately took his coat off and put it on the man with gentleness of an angel and respect, as for the king. The man said, he was just a little hungry, and all he needed was a piece of bread to get him on going. The truth was that the man was suffering not only from hunger and broken heart, but also his right leg gave up on him, from an early car accident and he couldn’t move or stand on his own. Peter saw his little stick that he was using to move around, lying next to the man. The Holy Spirit revealed to the young men, all of this, and gave them faith to pray for this man’s healing and renewing of his heart. Peter said: “Sir, we don’t have much ourselves, but what we have we will give to you. In the name of Jesus, be healed and walk!” Then Peter stretched out his hand and helped the man up. Instantly the man was healed and strengthened. His hunger was gone, his heart was made new and clean, and the broken bones in his leg were also rebuilt and healed. The man began to walk, jump around, and praising the Lord Jesus for the gift on which, he so faithfully waited for all of the years. He was dancing, dancing and dancing, for the One who gave him this life of joy and heart of worship! Peter and John were standing there smiling, clapping their hands and praising the Lord for the blessing. The man couldn’t hold the joy inside of him! He kept on shouting out the name of the Lord and giving Him thanks and praise! Meanwhile, the service was disturbed by the noise coming from the outside- un-orderly noise! Some of the congregation went outside and saw the homeless man, dancing and hugging Peter and John, while praising the Lord! They never saw him walk like this before, so they thought it might have been another man. But the more people came out of the church; they knew exactly who this joyful man was! They were ashamed, in their embarrassment and disorder of worship that they didn’t know what to do, because, they were able to see, that this dirty and homeless man, was now shining a light stronger than the whole congregation all together! They knew that his joy was real, his worship honest and his praises filled with God’s love! That day ALL people saw him rejoicing and praising the Lord. The religious order was disrupted by the living God walking and dancing into the temple! The living God, made himself known to ALL the people in that church, and many were attracted to His mystery and glory. He glorified the man so that He could be glorified, among those who were most lost. The homeless person, fully human, filled with the miracles of God through his faith in Jesus Christ alone, and clothed with the presence of the Creator; the man became one with God. The man didn’t care about the proper order of worship made by men. He himself became the temple of the living God and that meant, he became an offering of worship, at the altar of God! That day, Peter and John didn’t attend the service, because they had their own church going on with the homeless man, worshiping, praising and dancing for the King of ALL people, to the order of the Holy Spirit and His anointing.

Oh God, May I always be united with you Lord, rather than people. May I be a daily temple of the living God, rather than merely attending a temple made by men. And may I reflect your glory and dance for you, so that ALL people would see and hear who you are and the joy that you give me. Cloth me today with your presence and fill me and my friends with miracles, for you are the living God, whom I serve and love. Thank you. In Jesus name, Amen.

[Story retold from Acts 3, as I would see it in today’s church. The crippled man in Acts was also rejected by pride and religious order. In today’s world of worship service being put together in a way that is orderly, and goes smooth, think about what it means to truly worship the Lord. And when you think about that for yourself, think then about, how far you are willing to go with your praises, joy and dance for the King and with the King!]
Michelle, this is for you! Never stop on DANCING for the King, who every time asks you to dance with HIM! Continue to reflect His joy through your worship!