A Word From Joel - July 17, 2024

“David danced before the Lord with all his might; David was girded with a linen ephod.
So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and
with the sound of the trumpet.”
2 Samuel 6:14-15

This past Sunday, we were blessed to be joined by Bryce Wiebe who preached a
wonderful sermon on David dancing before the Lord. If you missed it, you can watch it
here. The sermon begins at the 18-minute mark. Bryce humorously recounted his own
history of dancing at 10 different proms. As with any story of David, it’s not
unambiguously good that he brings the ark to Jerusalem. The uniting of church and
state has been problematic throughout history to say the least, and David has much to
gain by doing so. Nevertheless, it’s hard to not be taken by David’s charisma, dancing
undignified before all to see.

After reflecting on the Gospels for three centuries, the early church fathers and mothers
landed on a metaphor of the Trinity that describes God’s own life as a dance of love.
Richard Rohr writes, “Whatever is going on in God is a flow, a radical relatedness, a
perfect communion between Three—a circle dance of love. And God is not just a
dancer; God is the dance itself.” 1 The early church imagined God not as static oneness
but as dynamic energy inviting all creation to dance. Perhaps David was onto
something. When we are connected to God’s life, our life becomes a flow of energetic
love, connecting us to all things. How else can we respond except through dancing?
Look for evidence of the dance this week. See it in the wind rustling through the trees, in
the rabbits eating your tomatoes, in a meal with those you love, and in a good belly
laugh that makes your side hurt. In all these ways and more, God is inviting you to join
the dance.