Dancing the Eternal Dance

My son has been quite the gifted dancer all his life. He began his tapping and sashaying young as a participant in children's choir musicals. In college, he earned his PE credits by taking Country Line dancing (at the Wild Horse Saloon, no less!) and then Ballroom dance. He's a natural. Next month, he and his current dance partner will be featured in a Nashville dancers' showcase when they perform a theatrical foxtrot routine to the theme song from The Pink Panther. I've seen it -- it's fantastic!

Last fall, our son encouraged my husband and me to join him at a weekly Beginners' Dance class. Each week our little group works on the basics of Foxtrot, Waltz, Tango, Rumba, Salsa, and/or Cha-Cha. My hub and I even tested the waters of the advanced rumba class one night. We hung in fairly well for baby-dancers! Our teacher, Tony Guidera, is one the most patient, encouraging, positive men I've ever met. No matter how I stumble in my spins or forget the steps to a pattern, Tony hangs on to me and leads me through the steps. He gently but firmly challenges me to feel the connection to him as he leads, to keep my body in position, to plant my feet on my pattern, to keep moving through the dance. Even when I feel the disappointment of missing the mark yet again, Tony reminds me to practice, to stay committed, to persevere.

This past Tuesday in our ladies Bible study group, I was made to think of how very like a dance is our relationship with God. We need to practice, practice the disciplines of praying, reading, and putting to action His commandments. We need to feel our connection with the One who leads us. Moreover, we need to submit to His leadership in our lives, to let Him direct the patterns to our life's dance. We need to rest in the truth that no matter how many times we stumble, He will hold on to us. And, unlike dancing the tango when the dancers turn their faces away from their partner in disgust, we can rejoice in God's never-failing love for us. His love holds us close, draws our hearts and minds to Him, woos us to be One in The Dance with Him.

So, I keep practicing my spins and steps. Christ in me and I in Him, dancing The Eternal Dance.

Comments

[Gail Hyatt]

Excellent post! We had quite a discussion in our group, didn't we?
If you haven't listened to Matthew Gallatin talk about the same thing, you're missing IT.
It's in his series on Imputed Righteousness.

Here is the link to Matthew Gallatin's podcast:
http://ancientfaith.com/podcasts/pilgrims

These are the ones where he talks about The Dance.
Lesson 6 (July 5, 2007)
http://ancientfaith.com/podcasts/pilgrims/imputed_righteousness_6
Lesson 7 (July 12, 2007)
http://ancientfaith.com/podcasts/pilgrims/imputed_righteousness_7

[rhonda kemp]

I love Matthew Gallatins lessons. Hes had such an impact on Giorgio, too. Which further makes me think of life as a dance as we rotate partners, swirling beautifully at times, falling awkwardly at others, impacting the individual dancer and the communal dance along the way.

[Tyson Sieger]

Everyone can dance, but not everyone has grace. Aside from determination and interest, expert dancers are born with grace. That's one reason why they look so naturally flowing when they dance. Your son is blessed with that. =)