July 2, 2000

July 2, 2000
Rose McLean

"David and all the house of Israel were dancing before the Lord with all their might, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals."

Another translation says: "David danced mightily before the Lord."

Later in the story, we read: "She saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord."

Do you get a picture of a happy guy here? One who is so full of joy he cannot contain himself? One whose inhibitions are out the window? So what’s up with this?

Well, here’s the story. Do you know what the Ark of the Covenant is? Maybe you have a clue if you have studied the Old Testament or perhaps have an idea if you watched "Raiders of the Lost Arc."

If we were having a Bible Dictionary test, what would you write for "arc of the covenant?" Would you hope for a multiple choice test or maybe a true or false? Or do you know what it was? Listen closely now, I’m going to read the definition and the test will be later this summer.

ARC OF THE COVENANT: The chest in the Most Holy Place of the tabernacle which contained a golden pot of manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant. (That would be the 10 commandments) In the tabernacle worship this was the symbol of God’s presence.

So now you know or have been reminded of what the Arc was. The important thing to remember is that it was the symbol of God’s presence.

Now for a recap of the story: David had been anointed king, and had just successfully defeated the Philistines in battle by "doing just as the Lord commanded him," the scripture says. Perhaps David was feeling particularly jubilant in his victory and perhaps was experiencing a great deal of gratitude to God. At any rate, he decided to bring the Arc to Jerusalem from the house of Abinadab where it had been rather neglected.

David understood well the significance of the Arc. It symbolized the presence of God. By bringing the Arc to Jerusalem which was the political center of the country, he was also making Jerusalem the religious center of the country. David had good reason to celebrate. He was a victorious king. God had blessed him. He was an astute political and religious leader.

It’s important for us to remember that even though the arc was symbolic of the presence of God, it was the only one. In our worship, we have a variety of symbols that represent God’s presence, such as the candles on the altar. But there was only one arc of the covenant. Sort of like the Stanley Cup. Only one arc and David was bringing it to Jerusalem.

And He was in the presence of God. You might say he was having a God moment. And he danced. He danced with all his might.

Do you celebrate God’s presence in your life with total abandon as did David? Or do you even recognize the presence of God in your life? David, Beckett, not the king, has been encouraging us and our kids to recognize those God moments in our lives. I suggest that we not only recognize them, but that we appropriately celebrate them.

What are those events that you celebrate to the point of dancing? You know Snoopy in the Peanuts cartoon had a supper-time dance. He celebrated suppertime. Sometimes we celebrate the ordinary. Sometimes we celebrate the extraordinary.

Bob Stratton was in my first Confirmation Class so when he and Jennifer brought their baby to be baptized, it made me want to dance to know that they are promising to raise Morgan in the church so that she can make her own decision when she is older.

I felt like dancing when Eric called to tell me Nicholas Cole had been born—but I think I cried tears of joy instead.

I felt like dancing when Randy McCurdy said he wanted to join our staff and work with our youth.

Last Monday we had a call from a former pastor’s wife from New Hope UMC in Fairbanks. There was a man from that church who had been medivaced to Providence with a life-threatening infection following surgery. His wife was here and the doctors had advised her to call her family to come. I went to the ICU waiting room and after praying with her, discovered that one of her needs was housing for her and her family since Providence House was full. I knew that with one or two phone calls, this congregation would provide the housing or anything else she needed. Sure enough, two phone calls was all it took. I felt like dancing. As it turned out a place closer to the hospital became available, but the fact remained, she knew the church was there for her.

What have been some of the God moments you have experienced. And did you dance? Or like me, did you just FEEL like dancing.

Do you know the purpose of Creation? It is to praise God. Everything we do should be praise to God. We don’t separate our religious self from our political self or our family self or from any other self we may identify. All of us belongs to God. Everything we do should praise God. Even in our pain and disappointment we are to praise God. Remember Zorba the Greek? He danced even when he was in the depth of despair.

Unlike David, we mostly observe rather than participate. I invite you to dance with abandon. To celebrate all that life brings to you knowing that it is a gift from God.

You’ve got to sing like you don’t need the money. Love like you’ve never been hurt. Dance like nobody’s watching. It’s got to come from the heart if you want it to work.

David danced mightily before the Lord. Will you?

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