What would make you dance like this?

Sam Storms writes...

I haven't sent out a newsletter in quite some time, so you may be wondering what would stir me to do so now.

Well, every so often you come across something that touches a nerve in your soul and feel compelled to share it with others. In my case it was a You Tube video that I saw on a friend's blog. With the potential for a Swine Flu pandemic, together with the ever-present threat of international terrorism, the economic crisis, and who knows what else, we all could use a bit of spontaneous joy.

I found mine in a remarkable event that took place in a Belgian Train Station. Perhaps you've already seen it. It's making the rounds of the internet and is now found on numerous blogs.

In one sense, it's a bit silly. You'll know why when you watch it. But as I watched it (several times now), I couldn't help but think about what makes people dance. For some it is a well-known song from The Sound of Music. For others it is newly found wealth or the birth of a child. Perhaps you dance because of the love you feel for your husband or wife.

It all got me thinking about the absence of joy in our churches, the lack of spontaneity, and the fear of what others might think. If people can display such freedom and delight in something as banal as Julie Andrews singing "Do, Re, Me," can we not do as much for someone as beautiful as the Lord Jesus Christ? O.k., o.k., I know all about propriety in church and reverence and gravity. Yes, God is deserving of our deepest thoughts and most exalted praise and we must never permit our worship to degenerate into carnal or flippant emotionalism.

But does not the thought of forgiveness of sins elicit unbridled joy in your heart? Does not the prospect of eternity with Christ make your feet move? Should not the glory of saving grace and the power of the indwelling Spirit and intimacy with a loving heavenly Father move us in both body and soul?

These are the questions that came to mind as I watched and listened to this video. I wondered, what would the world think of us if our love for Jesus and our gratitude for all that God has done for us in him spilled out into the streets in godly celebration? As you watch the video, be sure to take note of the startled look on the faces of passersby. Watch as their incredulity turns to sheer enjoyment. Then ask yourself, what effect might we have on a lost and dying world if our love for God was seen in holy revelry, in glad-hearted dancing, in unashamed, extravagant affection for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Even if you don't agree with what I've said, I think you'll get a kick from watching this event. But as you watch, it wouldn't hurt to ask yourself a question: For what or whom would I dance?