Shall We Dance?

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Shall we Dance?

Psalm 30:11 “You have turned my crying into dancing”

I recall reading a spiritual poem in my younger years. The poem was titled “Footprints in the Sand”. Most people are familiar with the story. It depicts a man having a dream of walking in the sand alongside the Lord while having flashbacks of life’s adversities. He soon realizes that during those trying times there was only one set of footprints in the sand. While complaining to God about being left alone during those trials in life the Lord explained “when you saw only one set of footprints they were mine…I was carrying you.

Life’s vicissitudes are inevitable. They either come in spurts or in tumultuous episodes and they have the power to break us or strengthen us. They have the potential to increase our faith or completely obliterate it. Jesus said “in this life you shall have affliction BUT… rejoice I have already given you the victory” – John 16:33

And what do you do when you rejoice??? Do you cheer, jump, celebrate and even dance?

Let me take you back to the poem however this time a little twist has been added to it –

“Now imagine you and the Lord Jesus walking alongside the beach on the sand together. For much of the way, the Lord’s footprints go along steadily, consistently, rarely varying the pace.

But your prints are a disorganized stream of zigzags, starts, stops, turnarounds, circles, departures and returns. For much of the way it seems to go like this. But gradually, your footprints come more in line with the Lord’s, soon paralleling His consistently.

You and Jesus are walking as true friends. This seems perfect, but then an interesting thing happens: your footprints that once etched the sand next to the Master’s are now walking precisely in His steps.

Inside His larger footprints is the small ‘sand print’, safely enclosed. You and Jesus are becoming one. This goes on for many miles. But gradually you notice another change. The footprint inside the larger footprint seems to grow larger. Eventually it disappears altogether. There is only one set of footprints.

They have now become one.

Again, this goes on for a long time. But then something awful happens. The second set of footprints is back. And this time it seems even worse. Zigzags all over the place. Stops. Starts. Deep gashes in the sand. A veritable mess of prints. You’re amazed and shocked. But this is the end of your dream.

Now you speak. ‘Lord, I understand the first scene with the zigzags and fits and starts and so on. I was a new Christian, just learning. But You walked on through the storm and helped me learn to walk with you.’

That is correct, replied the Lord.

Yes, and when the smaller footprints were inside of Yours, I was actually learning to walk in Your steps. I followed You very closely.

Very good. You have understood everything so far, He answered.

Then the smaller footprints grew and eventually filled in with Yours. I suppose that I was actually growing so much that I was becoming like you in every way.

Precisely, He affirmed.

But this is my question. Lord.. Was there a regression or something in my walk with you? The footprints went back to two, and this time it was worse than the first. The stops and abrupt starts, zigzags, turns and twists… why?

The Lord smiles, then laughs. ‘You didn’t know?’ He says. “You and I were dancing”.

No matter how high the waters, how deep the valleys or how immense the circumstances REJOICE because God the Father has already given us the victory through His son Jesus.

Allow Him to turn your crying into dancing.

Shalom,

Milton