Short Thought continued.....

Celebrate before The Lord

 

I’m sitting on a beach with my hands wrapped around a thermal mug. 

It's February and a little cold and foggy, I can just about make out the Isle of Wight.

 

Children are in their swimming costumes running in and out of the sea;

their joyful abandoned playfulness is beautiful to watch,

their laughter and screams are a delight to hear.

They aren't put off by the fog, cool breeze or cold water.

 

I wonder why I’m not as eager to express joyful abandoned playfulness like these children.

Why stripping off half-naked to wear a swimming costume and

dipping my toes into the cold sea isn’t very appealing.

As an adult I have let myself become inhibited, being restrained by self-consciousness and

concerned about what others might think of me if I were to truly express and enjoy myself.

 

I also wonder where my child-like expression of joy is before The Lord.

 

‘Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, while he and all

Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.  As the ark

of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window.

And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.

 …When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to

meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around

half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”

David said to Michal, ‘It was before the Lord... I will celebrate before the Lord. 

 I will become even more undignified than this.’

(2 Samuel 6:14-16 & 20-22)

 

David was happy to throw off his inhibitions and to be undignified.

He wasn't put off by his wife's cold comments.

He wasn’t concerned about others seeing him in his undergarment rather than his royal robes.

With joyful abandonment David was celebrating before The Lord; with all his might he was

leaping, dancing and shouting for joy, expressing his love, respect and honour for His Lord.

 

Michal was the one restrained by what others thought and saw; her inhibitions and concerns

caused her to criticise and despise her husband and stopped her from joining in the celebrations.

 

What inhibitions do you need to throw off?

How do you want to celebrate before The Lord?

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