Hi all.... Happy St. Patrick's Day!!! Being Irish ...this day has always been wonderful for me while growing up and still today... I was listening to some Irish Music today and some utube videos and came across Michael Flaterly's final performance of Lord of the Dance.. I began to wonder ... "who is the Lord of the dance in my own life"?
I was thinking today about how I could not help but dance before the Lord as a new Christian... as I would listen to praise music many times I just had to get up and dance!! His love just set my feet to dancing...
I love the poem.. God danced the Day you were born ....
You are loved, you are beautiful, you are a gift of God, His own possession,... You are a gift to all mankind, His gift of Love to them.. YOUR ARE HIS!!! AND... GOD DANCED THE DAY YOU WERE BORN!!! I could just picture our loving Father dancing when each one of us was born, and maybe even perhaps rejoicing with the angels. I also remember my girlfriend JoAnn's poem about changing dance partners... how she started out in the spirit just so happy to dance the dance of life with her Prince Jesus until others began to express to her how she could "dance her dance more perfectly"... the "Dance of Grace" story is below is written by my girlfriend JoAnn..
Dear Ones:
The Lord revealed some truth to me about “Changing Partners during a dance” – I call it “Dance of Grace. I was reading Psalm 25 as well as pondering the “Fear of the Lord” – As I was thinking the “Fear of the Lord is to HATE evil” – NOT to be afraid of it!!! In the past when I’ve sinned in an area that my flesh is soooooo weak in, I would begin to “hate myself” and not just “hate evil”. This led to more and more “self- rejection and hatred.” I have been asking the Lord this morning about hating evil – the Lord hates evil because it “steals, kills and destroys” – “LOVE BUILDS UP” – So, if we are trying to discern “Am I walking in love?” a good question to ask ourselves would be “Are my words and actions “building up” bringing restoration and redemption, or are they “tearing down” and bringing the FEAR OF EVIL”. The Lord wants us to FEAR NO ONE – In Luke 12 it says to fear Him who has the power to cast into hell. The Lord holds our very breath. AND HE IS OUR FATHER WHO LOVES US SO MUCH THAT HE SENT JESUS TO DIE IN OUR PLACE!
Psalm 130 says in verse 3
"If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness;"If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,
O Lord, who could stand?
therefore you are feared.
Just wanted to say "I love you" and lets all agree together that we will keep dancing with Jesus - looking full in His wonderful face, that the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.
Love, JoAnn (Following is the "Dance of Grace")
Dance of Grace
When the Holy Spirit revealed Jesus to me as my Savior, it was like being asked to dance by the Lord. He was leading the dance and I was lost as I gazed at His countenance and looked into His eyes of love and forgiveness. We moved almost effortlessly – in harmony and the unforced rhythms of grace. I was totally unaware of my own feet and was consumed with His face.
Somewhere during the dance the music changed and someone yelled in my ear, “Look at your feet! Watch where you are stepping! You can’t go there, you’ll fall! Don’t step on anyone’s toes! Be careful of going there, they don’t dance right!” I became painfully aware of my “feet,” my “walk” instead of the glorious face of Jesus, the joy of my Salvation. In fact, my feet became so heavy and awkward that it was difficult to move at all. The voice in my ear was so harsh and controlling – I should have known it wasn’t the voice of the gentle Shepherd of my Soul. Without realizing it I had changed partners. The harsh voice belonged to a taskmaster – the accuser of the brethren. The music was no longer sweet but pounded on my soul like a drill instructor. Once in awhile the Shepherd’s gentle voice would break through and speak tenderly to my heart, but like a battered woman who returns to her abuser, so would I.
If being abused and accused by that religious spirit wasn’t bad enough, I became an abuser and an accuser myself. Now I was teaching and training others to look at their “feet.” “You don’t go there! You don’t step on toes! You must not dance with anyone who could deceive you!! Do it like I’m doing it, because I’ve learned the right way!” Judging others by my “feet,” by my “walk,” in self-righteousness.
Today, the Lord has revealed and healed me from the abuse that came as a result of changing partners. Jesus cut in on the “heavy metal” dance to a religious spirit and spoke tenderly to my heart. “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live (dance) freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:23-end of chapter So I am dancing again with the Joy of my Salvation – Jesus. Turning my eyes upon Jesus, looking full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace. I have officially resigned as assistant drill instructor. There is only ONE Dance instructor! I’m fixing my eyes on Jesus!
JoAnn Parrott
12/01/98
Okay.. this is Donna back writing again! LOL
Today I remembered with tears of joy being rector for Women's Christian Prison Ministry Retreat weekends ... watching women in prison dancing all over a huge room dancing to the song "Lord of the Dance"... they had just finished a time of forgviness when they had written down all the people who had hurt them in their lives, all the unforgiveness they held for others, God and towards themselves were written down and then one by one each woman threw their lists in a huge burning garbage drum. They were so free and happy.. what a moment in time to see them crying and laughing and just totally enjoying the presence of the Lord... ...
I would love to say that over the years of my relationship with God that I have never let go of my dance partner, but there have been times that I have even stopped dancing all together .. As I listened to the song today .. I was touched and stirred all over again to take hold of the hand of Jesus and let Him lead me in this dance of life.
Maybe the cares of this world, or disappointments, feelings of failure or just being plain worn out have bogged you down, maybe you feel tired of messing up on the dance floor, or wonder what ever happened to your dance partner.. did He abandon you on the dance floor??? I believe He is kissing our hands again and asing "may I have this dance"? There is room on the dance floor for all of us...
To listen to this song:
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Lord Of The Dance
Sydney Carter
I danced in the morning when the world was young
I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun
I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth
At Bethlehem I had my birth
Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he
I danced for the scribes and the Pharisees
They wouldn't dance, they wouldn't follow me
I danced for the fishermen James and John
They came with me so the dance went on
Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he
I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame
The holy people said it was a shame
They ripped, they stripped, they hung me high
Left me there on the cross to die
Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he
I danced on a Friday when the world turned black
It's hard to dance with the devil on your back
They buried my body, they thought I was gone
But I am the dance, and the dance goes on
Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he
They cut me down and I leapt up high
I am the life that will never, never die
I'll live in you if you'll live in me
I am the Lord of the dance, said he
Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he
I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun
I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth
At Bethlehem I had my birth
Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he
I danced for the scribes and the Pharisees
They wouldn't dance, they wouldn't follow me
I danced for the fishermen James and John
They came with me so the dance went on
Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he
I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame
The holy people said it was a shame
They ripped, they stripped, they hung me high
Left me there on the cross to die
Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he
I danced on a Friday when the world turned black
It's hard to dance with the devil on your back
They buried my body, they thought I was gone
But I am the dance, and the dance goes on
Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he
They cut me down and I leapt up high
I am the life that will never, never die
I'll live in you if you'll live in me
I am the Lord of the dance, said he
Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he
Blessings... Donna
From my Heart to Yours,
Donna/Donsie
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