Wednesday, May 9, 2012

The dancing God…

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I skyped with my daughter and grandkids in Ghana yesterday.

My homeschooled grands were excited to tell me that for a few hours each morning

they now go to the Christian school next to the church.

They’re the only “obruni” in the classes full of beautiful, black Ghanaian faces.

When I asked my grandson what he learned at school that morning, he said.

“Allah is not God.”

I smile.

He is, after all, in Ghana with his parents and sister as Christian missionaries.

(Though it’s not politically correct to say so, either the Bible is true or it isn’t,

and if it is, then the God of the Bible is the One True God, and His Son Jesus is the Only Way to Him.)

My grandson proceeded to tell me that people who worship Allah cannot dance in church,

but people who worship the true God of the Bible can dance when they worship.

This makes me smile too.

Ghanaians love to dance during worship.

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First the women start, a conga line of worship, hankies waving in the air.

Then they mosey back to their places and the men dance,

and my grandson, he joins right on in.

I kind of regret that when I was in Ghana last month,  I didn’t join the line of dancing ladies.

I thought about what my grandson said all the rest of the day.

The Ghanaian teacher could have used any of many theological examples

to contrast Allah and the God of the Bible…

God created the heavens and the earth.

Even before creation, God knew man would need a Savior,

and in His mind and heart already decided to offer up the sinless sacrifice of His own Son,

so that He could adopt us as His own children,

 just so we could be wrapped up in the same great love that already existed between Father, Son, and Spirit.

(The God of the Bible LOVES…does any other God love?)

Jesus was born of a virgin.

He lived a sinless life.

He died a cruel death on the cross.

He rose again three days later.

He ascended to heaven and sits at God the Fathers right hand interceding for us.

He’s coming back to earth to make wrong things right once and for all.

The teacher could have said any of those things.

Instead, the teacher taught the children that the difference between Allah and the God of the Bible

is that God wants His children to be able to dance.

I really believe it’s true.

David, the man after God’s own heart, danced before God in worship.

And God, He sings over us and twirls with delight, when He thinks about His kids,

all because He loves us just as much as He loves His Only Begotten Son, Jesus.

On my walk/jog yesterday afternoon, the truth of this dancing God, Who wants His kids to dance,

settled right down into my heart,

and right there in the middle of the the street I kind of wanted to

look up to heaven and lift my arms high and do a little twirl,

and I kind of regret that I didn’t.

 

Still following,

Elizabeth




 

16 comments:

  1. Thank you for the image of God singing and twirling over the thought of His children. I want to let this truth settle deep into my soul. What a great way to teach kids the difference of Allah and God.

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  2. C.S. Lewis described the relationship between the members of the Trinity as a dance. And because of Jesus, we are invited to dance with them. What beautiful pictures. Makes me think of that final day when all the nations will worship Him together. Thanks for sharing this!

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  3. I'm a bit reserved too, Elizabeth, when it comes to dancing anyway. But I wholeheartedly agree that we have every reason to dance with the one, true God that we serve! Great inspiring post and lovely pictures!

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  4. In my 15 years of walking with the Lord I don't think I have ever heard that God loves me "as much" as He loves His own beloved Son. What? It is TOO much for this brain to compute. It pierces my heart and humbles me greatly. Thank you for your beautiful post. I feel a dance coming on :)

    Blessings,
    Irma

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  5. Do it, girlfriend! Dance. In the streets. In your house. Wherever you worship Him. And - I hope - next time you go to Ghana you will dance. And let someone take a picture!
    ~Adrienne~

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  6. The women in the photograph are dressed so beautifully!

    Sufi mystics dance to honor of the God of Abraham, too.

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  7. Oh, I wish I could dance with the sisters in Ghana! Beautiful, Elizabeth.

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  8. wow...this is just amazing...what dancing speaks to me is freedom...who christ sets free is free indeed. Oh I am sure you are so thankful for skype...what a gift. blessings as we dance before Him...in our hearts...in our homes ...in the streets:)

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  9. guess i better believe in god because i like to dance in worship as well...smiles...bet it is pretty amazing to watch as well....

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  10. dance, dance...and dance some more!

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  11. I believe this is true, too. And, I sometimes wish I wasn't presbyterian, so I could dance. (chosen frozen, doncha know)

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  12. This post makes me want to play "Footloose." :) God is so good.

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  13. Hi Elizabeth! So nice to know you came by! Your grandchildren are having a priceless experience. So nice you could join them there.

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  14. It's not too late to lift those hands and dance now! I believe that we serve a toe tapping God who joins our conga line.

    What your grandson learned is a critical truth. There are those who would pretend that it is not the case. The LORD our God. The LORD is One.

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  15. this gave me goosebumps of the best kind. our God delights in us. you helped me to believe that tonight friend. thank you.

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  16. God bless you. Praise the Lord
    www.masterscience.webs.com

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