Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Odd Expressions

“Now King David was told, ‘The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.’ So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. 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. They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord. After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord Almighty. Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. And all the people went to their homes.

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, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord.  I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.’

And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.” (II Samuel 6:12-23 NIV)

There is man in our church who is mildly autistic.  He does not like to be touched and he rarely will speak unless spoken to.  But when the worship music is played, he never lacks expression.  He raises his hands, claps, and, on occasion, he will go up front and dance during a song.  

I am sure some people think it odd and maybe some are even uncomfortable.  In the church we tend to prefer a more structured, dignified worship service.  There is nothing wrong with preferences, but sometimes we can allow our preferences to dictate our feelings towards others who desire to worship in a different way.  And then our preference can become a judgment.  

David’s wife, Michal, serves as a warning of this.  She thought David’s dancing in celebration of the Ark’s return to Jerusalem was undignified for someone of his stature and position.  Her preference became judgment and turned her heart against her husband.  

Satan is always looking for ways in which to disrupt the unity of the church and preferences in worship is one of them.  I think what we can learn from this story is heart-felt worship will often seem undignified by traditional norms, but if it is an overflow of joy we would do well to respect it if not embrace it.  

Today, recognize there are many preferences in worship.  Some may seem odd, even undignified to you, but don’t be quick to judge.  The expressions of a heart overflowing with joy can lead people to do some interesting things.

© Jim Musser 2017

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