Dance Floor
By Peggy Kleckner
“He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.”
Psalm 18:19
By Peggy Kleckner
“He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.”
Psalm 18:19
I was invited into something big. You know
one of those opportunities where your heart stirs and yet you think to
yourself, “This can’t be for me.” So began the battle in prayer. The invitation
was before me and I had to choose whether to step into it, or away from it.
Have you been there too? Have you lived a life on the party sidelines? Have you always been willing to be the one to blow up the balloons, or clean up the debris?
It seems as though we are always glad to be invited to the party, but somehow we never quite feel like we belong. We are willing to work, but not so willing to just relax and enjoy.
Why, I wonder, is that? Why do we think we must earn our place at the party, or be useful? Why can’t you and I learn to relax and enjoy the party?
I think somewhere along the way in our life’s journey we believed the lie that we aren’t lovable, so we must be useful. We accept being needed instead of loved, and tell ourselves that it is enough.
Guess what I found out? God wants to love me. He wants me at His party. Not only that, He wants His name on my dance card.
As I continued to pray for His direction in regards to the opportunity before me, everything was “yes.” The final ponder was this: It was as if Jesus stood next to me with His hand outstretched and was inviting me out onto the dance floor. Not to embarrass me, but to allow me to display His splendor. The dance floor is the spacious place I envision in the verse above. He rescued me many years ago at the point of my salvation, that moment when I recognized my sinfulness and my need for a Savior. I have been content to be near Him, to work for Him, to listen to Him, but now He was reaching out to me in an intimate gesture. Would I accept His outstretched hand? Would I trust that He wasn’t offering in order to watch me fail? Could I really believe this dance was for me, my opportunity to be in His intimate embrace?
I did say “yes” and what a wonderful, joyful twirl it was! When He extends His hand to you, what will you say? After all, He does delight in each of His children….His Word says so.
GOING DEEPER:
1. How has your relationship with Jesus progressed?
2. What walls of self-protection need to come down in this precious relationship?
FURTHER READING:
Psalm 142:5-7; Ephesians 3:14-19; 2 Peter 3:18
Have you been there too? Have you lived a life on the party sidelines? Have you always been willing to be the one to blow up the balloons, or clean up the debris?
It seems as though we are always glad to be invited to the party, but somehow we never quite feel like we belong. We are willing to work, but not so willing to just relax and enjoy.
Why, I wonder, is that? Why do we think we must earn our place at the party, or be useful? Why can’t you and I learn to relax and enjoy the party?
I think somewhere along the way in our life’s journey we believed the lie that we aren’t lovable, so we must be useful. We accept being needed instead of loved, and tell ourselves that it is enough.
Guess what I found out? God wants to love me. He wants me at His party. Not only that, He wants His name on my dance card.
As I continued to pray for His direction in regards to the opportunity before me, everything was “yes.” The final ponder was this: It was as if Jesus stood next to me with His hand outstretched and was inviting me out onto the dance floor. Not to embarrass me, but to allow me to display His splendor. The dance floor is the spacious place I envision in the verse above. He rescued me many years ago at the point of my salvation, that moment when I recognized my sinfulness and my need for a Savior. I have been content to be near Him, to work for Him, to listen to Him, but now He was reaching out to me in an intimate gesture. Would I accept His outstretched hand? Would I trust that He wasn’t offering in order to watch me fail? Could I really believe this dance was for me, my opportunity to be in His intimate embrace?
I did say “yes” and what a wonderful, joyful twirl it was! When He extends His hand to you, what will you say? After all, He does delight in each of His children….His Word says so.
GOING DEEPER:
1. How has your relationship with Jesus progressed?
2. What walls of self-protection need to come down in this precious relationship?
FURTHER READING:
Psalm 142:5-7; Ephesians 3:14-19; 2 Peter 3:18
Peggy is a wife and
mother of four adult children - - two sons and two stepsons, and is an active
encourager at Oakwood Church in Delafield. She serves as the Coordinator of
Fresh Start.
