Dance of Obedience

Dancing! Now that’s something I love to do. Most of my dancing is self-taught with a little bit of salsa lessons in between. Imagine a little girl dancing in front of her mirror or on her bed with all her heart, trying so hard to look just like that person she saw in a video --- I was just like that girl :). This post is not just for dancers…. I think anyone can tell between a bad and good dance. I enjoy watching partner dances (ballroom dancing like waltz, samba, foxtrot, quickstep, paso doble, salsa etc.). It looks best when a man leads and supports with confidence while his partner completely trusts him as he guides, twirls, dips, lifts her along the dance floor. It looks so beautiful when both move in unison.

As part of my devotion, I read one of Sharon Jaynes’ articles in which she talks briefly about the dance of obedience. She describes obedience as a dance in which we do not have to worry if we do not know the right moves because Jesus does. ‘You simply follow His lead. In Him we live, move and have our being…..the dance of obedience is breathtaking’.  Question is ‘will you join Him on the dance-floor?’ As He guides you in this dance, you and your dance is a testimony.

NOTE: I am not talking about being lawful (living with a whole bunch of don’t) but taking a step of faith in obedience to God’s word and allowing God to move in your life. Its not hard, but we make it hard. Just like how Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on water. He didn’t have the ability to walk on water but he took the first step and God did the rest.

O.B.E.Y is a word that sometimes tends to bring out my rebellious side. Sometimes I obey with reluctance. When I know something is good for me then I listen but if being obedient requires me to give up something I don’t think will or has not harmed me…..then being disobedient is something I might favour. Sometimes I just think my way is better. Its like when you were a child or teenager….and your parents tell you to do something, which in retrospect was good for you but back then, you were plain rebellious. Being obedient was sometimes hard. Some people learn early in life  that not listening to their parents is not safe (mainly due to trust and respect) whilst others want to try living on the wild side. As much as people think I am an obedient person….I beg to differ. Of course the bar I set for myself is not the world system but Christ who knew His destiny on earth was to die a painful death to save mankind. Imagine a man who did not do anything wrong, sinless……took on all your sin on the cross just so that you will be saved. Jesus did the Will of the Father. Now that is obedience. The great thing about God is, even though taking the first step is your task…..Jesus gives you the ability and strength to see it through….by His grace and mercy. Your obedience is needed for the building of the Kingdom of God.

In my last blog I mentioned how the word obedience used to freak me out! I quote myself (haha) ‘I felt God wanted to control me! I thought I knew what is best for me (hahaha…how wrong was I!). But the more I know God, the more I realise that being obedient is for my own good cause every time I am rebellious….I regret it and I run back to Him’.  To me, if I was obedient, I'd be a boring, goody-two-shoes. I also thought that I should move at my pace and to the direction that I wanted to go….. “come on people, I know what I can do and what I can’t! I’m the one living this life. Plus, I want to enjoy my life and not spend so much time with church stuff”. The more I know God, the more I realise that my ministry is an expression of my love for God and not a chore.  

But here is the truth, every time I am obedient to what God wants for me….there is an indescribable fulfilment and it never is boring. Something that I have never felt when I did what I wanted. Understand that being obedient to God’s voice (perhaps through His Word, the words given by the Lord through a man of God, a prompting, etc.) is totally up to you. Take it from someone who doesn’t liked to be bossed around, I have never had so much joy before this. My prayer is always that I trust God and do His will. If I find what He wants hard to do, I pray that God changes my heart, gives me strength and I walk by faith and not by sight. It isn’t always easy at first….but after that first step, God gives an ease even in a difficult situation.

The heart beat of Jesus is the beat that you move to when you dance the dance of obedience. When he guides, the dance is always interesting and unpredictable. That means leaving your comfort zone of just dancing the steps you know, in a place that you know. Jaynes calls it the ‘fancy footwork of faith’. When you constantly want to move to your beat and not His, you may never know the fulfilling life that Christ gives or just how beautiful that life is. Just like me, make a decision everyday to join God in the dance of obedience. You won’t regret it. “You are always one step of obedience away from the next great adventure and moments of sudden glory that follow”—Jaynes.