"And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."
The supper is over, the hearth is swept, And in the wood-fire's glow, The children cluster to hear a tale Of the time so long ago.
When Grandmamma's hair was golden brown And the warm blood came and went O'er the face that could scarce have been sweeter then Than now, in its rich content.
The face is wrinkled and careworn now, And the golden hair is gray, But the light that shone in the young girl's eyes Has never gone away.
And her needles catch the firelight As in and out they go, With the clicking music that Grandma loves, Shaping the stocking toe.
And the waking children love it, too, For they know the stocking song Brings many a tale to Grandma's mind Which they shall hear ere long.
But it brings no story of olden times To Grandma's heart to-night; Only a ditty, quaint and short, Is sung by the needles bright.
"Life is a stocking," Grandma says, "And yours is just begun; And I am knitting the toe of mine, And my work is almost done.
"With merry hearts we begin to knit, And the ribbing is almost play; Some are gay colors and some are white, And some are ashen gray;
"But most are made of many a hue, With many a stitch set wrong, And many a row to be sadly ripped Ere the whole is fair and strong.
"There are long plain spaces, without a break, That in youth are hard to bear, And many a weary tear is dropped As we fashion the heel with care.
"But the saddest, happiest time is that We court and yet we shun, When our Heavenly Father breaks the thread And says that our work is done."
The children came to say good-night, With tears in their bright young eyes, While in Grandma's lap, with a broken thread, The finished stocking lies.
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"Get up from your seats before the white-haired, and give honour to the old, and let the fear of your God be before you: I am the Lord."
~Leviticus 19:32 (BBE)~
"I will be your God throughout your lifetime -- until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you."
"Does He not see my ways, And count all my steps?" ~Job 31:4~
"I have often been led to do something without knowing exactly why. When we choose to take the hand of Jesus even though we may not know where He's leading, He has a certain destination in mind, and it will be a delightful surprise to our souls." ~Kathy Troccoli, in Falling in Love with Jesus~
Recently I came across the idea that life should be like dancing with Jesus and letting Him lead. Around the same time, I read a devotion which ends with the following prayer: "Sovereign Lord, turn me to You." As it turns out, this devotion is based on Isaiah 30:15: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength." In this verse, the element that comes first is repentance. In the Bible, the word "repent" means to "turn away from sin and turn to God"....
"Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out." ~Acts 3:19~
Salvation requires this repentance, but we should also be continually turning away from sin and toward Him throughout our lives, while also resting in His arms. Music has notes and rests, and we can let Him lead us through the song of life.
"Follow God's example in everything you do, because you are his dear children." ~Ephesians 5:1 (NLT)~
"...you should follow His steps..." ~1 Peter 2:21 (NKJV)~
"God asks us to repent. As a matter of fact, His desire for us is that we live in a state of perpetual repentance. We blow it all the time--and when we do, He wants us to stop and do a U-turn." ~Dee Brestin, in Falling in Love with Jesus~
We need to follow Jesus' leading, as opposed to overtaking Him--striking out on our own or trying to be in control. Let's not step on our Dance Partner's toes!
"Your word is like a lamp for my feet and a light for my path." ~Psalm 119:105 (NCV)~
During the time period this verse was written, lamps shone only enough to make the next couple of steps manageable. Likewise, we don't have to fret over the entire Dance and worry about which sequence we'll be led through next. All He asks is that we stay in step with Him and try our best to master the part of the Dance through which He's leading us. Each of us gets to take a Master Class with a Dance Teacher who also rules the universe. If He can make the planets spin in perfect measure, don't you think He knows how to help us do the same?
"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded." ~James 4:8 (NKJV)~
By clinging to our Dance Partner and trying to move through life in a way that is pleasing to Him, we are better able to avoid the sin which clings so closely to us (Hebrews 12:1). I would like to become more and more graceful as Jesus leads me in His holy Dance, rather than to stumble along, entangled by and with sin--that would really be an example of having "two left feet!"
In the verse above, sinners are described as being "double-minded." In other words, sometimes an attempt is being made to live God's way, but at other times, actions and behaviors are worldly. In the Bible, another meaning of the word "repent" is "to change one's mind." When you have decided to repent and to put your faith in Christ, a complete and permanent heart change must occur. Moreover, you shouldn't keep changing your mind again and again about how you are going to live your life--about the choices you are going to make on a day-to-day basis. In fact, that's a good way to become dizzy and to fall. Imagine what it would be like to try and execute two different dances to two different songs, at the same time--it would be impossible! You would have to keep switching back and forth from one to the other. That is why one must single-mindedly pursue Christ's way and refuse to revert back to the disjointed, earthly dances in which one shouldn't be taking part anyway (1 Kings 18:21).
"We must cling desperately to the One who is crazy about us, to the One who has promised us wholeness, to the One who has promised to never let us go." ~Kathy Troccoli, in Falling in Love with Jesus~
Let us not turn in circles, but rather turn to Him and with Him, whether the times are happy or trying. And let us not skip too many beats before doing so. One day I was sitting outside with my Bible. I glanced down at it, and it was turned to Ecclesiastes 3. I thought of the song I've spoken of above, and the lyrics, "to everything turn, turn, turn; there is a season turn, turn, turn," were running through my head as I lifted my eyes from the page. Right at that second, a large bird of prey (it appeared to be a hawk), shot straight up into the sky from seemingly nowhere. It didn't fly forward or to the side--it immediately did a 180-degree turn and started flying in the opposite direction. Let us be like that bird...
"Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him." ~Matthew 4:21-22 (NIV)~
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I happened to stumble upon a sermon that is online and that was given at a church I have visited. It's entitled, "Rhythm." In it, the pastor speaks of how we can't tell if something is out of rhythm or off-key until we're exposed to something that is perfectly syncopated and perfectly pitched. Christ is the litmus test whereby we can discover if we are out of step or out of tune with God's design--with how He would like our lives and characters to be. That is why we must try to keep in step with Him and to follow Him
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In the book, Falling in Love with Jesus, Kathy Troccoli recounts how both she and a speaker at a church retreat had a similar vision within a week of each other. They both saw Kathy dancing with Jesus, and He was wearing a tuxedo. The speaker described her vision to Kathy:
"You're in a gigantic ballroom and at the edge of the dance floor are principalities and powers. Jesus is parading you around every corner, saying, 'This is my trophy.'"
This vision inspired Kathy to write the following song:
"Dancing Me Through This Life"
Sailing on the waves of Your love
Gently move me closer to Your shore
Looking down at Your footprints in the sand Lord, I'm safe held in Your tender arms
I see angels sway on the wind
I hear You invite me to join in
Knowing that each day Knowing that each night You'll keep dancing me through this life
Flying over clouds in the night
Stars shine With your color Burning white
You can pierce through the darkness of the sky Like You do into this heart of mine
Heaven plays the music of Your grace
Spinning round and round in Your embrace Knowing that each day Knowing that each night You'll keep dancing me through this life
Take me in Your arms Lift me high above the world Never end this song And forever--dance me on...
It's not a Christian song, but it has some good things to say. I've place Bible verses in with the lyrics below...
I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
"He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes." Deuterononmy 10:21
You get your fill to eat
"Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.'" John 6:35
But always keep that hunger
"But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first." Revelation 2:4
May you never take one single breath for granted
"For thou didst form my inward parts, thou didst knit me together in my mother's womb." Psalm 139:13
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
"As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of your souls." 1 Peter 1:9
I hope you still feel small
When you stand beside the ocean
"The sound of the water is loud; the ocean waves are powerful, but the Lord above is much greater." Psalm 93:4
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
"He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it." Matthew 10:39
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance
"How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?" Hebrews 2:3a
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
"Praise his name with dancing." Psalm 149:3a
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
"He said to them, 'Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?'" Mark 4:40
Never settle for the path of least resistance
"I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved." Psalm 16:8
Living might mean taking chances
But they're worth taking
"But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully." 2 Corinthians 9:6
Lovin' might be a mistake
But it's worth making
"And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13
Don't let some hell-bent heart
Leave you bitter
"But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you." Matthew 5:44
When you come close to selling out
Reconsider
"A good person who gives in to evil is like a muddy spring or a dirty well." Proverbs 25:26
Give the heavens above
More than just a passing glance
"When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?" Psalm 8:3-4
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance...
with Jesus, that is!
And if you're supposed to sit out on a dance or two (or more), He'll let you know!
sometimes He says no
sometimes He says grow
sometimes He says slow
sometimes He says go
And, we must try to discern if His answer to us is "yes, no, or wait."
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I recently read another devotion which talks about the origin of the phrase, "face the music." The author then relates the concept to the Christian life:
"God reminds us that one day each of us will have to 'face the music.' We will all stand before the judgment seat of God. And because of our sinfulness, we do not deserve to inherit the kingdom of God. Yet, for those of us who believe in Jesus Christ, we have Someone who faced the music for us. On the cross, Jesus took our place. He suffered our punishment for our sins...Dear Jesus, thank You for facing the music for me and taking away my sins."
I don't see how anyone could find a better Dance Partner than Him! He is waiting for us to turn to Him in faith so the Celebration can begin...
"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate. Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing." ~Luke 15: 21-25~
"...the eternal dance 'makes heaven drowsy with the harmony.' All pains and pleasures we have known on earth are early initiations in the movements of that dance: but the dance itself is strictly incomparable with the sufferings of this present time. As we draw nearer to its uncreated rhythm, pain and pleasure sink almost out of sight. There is joy in the dance, but it does not exist for the sake of joy. It does not even exist for the sake of good, or of love. It is Love Himself, and Good Himself, and therefore happy. It does not exist for us, but we for it..." ~C.S. Lewis~
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*The first devotion I quoted was written by David H. Benke and and second one by Luther C. Brunette. They are both included in a book entitled, Best-Loved Passages of the Bible: A Devotional.
*Here is information by John Piper about the translation of the word "repent."
