Dancing . Dancing . Dancing .

One of my favorite things is dancing. Sometimes I joke around and say dancing is my love language. I loved homecoming and prom. I love movies about dancing (Dirty Dancing, Footloose, etc). I love to fool around with my roommate(s) and have spontaneous dance parties. I love to line dance (I consider myself a pro and would love to teach you haha). I loved ballet dancing…

BUT my favorite dance of all is shagging aka swing dancing (technically they are different, but in college the terms are pretty exchangeable).

FCA has 3 shags a year  and 1 formal (which I missed last year because I got the flu and needed to be quarantined — major case of FOMO). This semester, I’m taking the swing dancing leisure skill. And once last year, Grace G and I even crashed an RUF shag, so we could just spend the whole night dancing with each other (Fun Fact: we both know the boy and girl steps)!

However, the sad and often frustrating part (for me) is that if you really want to do it well, you need a good lead. I love dancing with my girls and teaching guys how to do it, but there’s something special when I don’t have to be the one leading all the time.

During my quiet time, I read Isaiah 62:4-5

“Your new name will be ‘The City of God’s Delight’
and ‘The Bride of God,’
for the Lord delights in you
and will claim you as his bride.
… God will rejoice over you
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride.”

At first I smiled because it reminded me of the verse in Ephesians 5:25,

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,”

but then when I was reflecting, I started imagining this scene.

Isaiah is talking to/about the people of Zion (in Jerusalem). He is saying that he won’t stop praying for them until they are glorious and understand God’s love for them. He says that God will give them a new name if they just follow him. He will make them his bride.

Isaiah says that God would rejoice over them as a bridegroom (modern day groom) rejoices over his bride. AKA God is our husband dancing with us on our wedding day.

Oh . Snap . Now he is speaking my (love) language .     😉

Upon reading this, I was filled with a realization: God is my ultimate shag partner.

His lead is perfect. He is in control, knows all the steps, and guides me through life. He spins me, dips me, and never drops me. His arms are strong; I am secure in his embrace. I can trust that he knows what he’s doing.

He surprises me with new dance moves. At first, I may not understand them, but He is patient with me as I get in step with his ways.

There is no need for me to try and push my own agenda or lead myself. His technique is better, and he just wants me to lean into him and enjoy the dance.

He fills me with joy, makes me smile, and fills my mouth with laughter.

Right now in particular, this feeling from the Lord means so much. I love dancing, but when no one asks me to dance, I get disheartened because I feel like no one sees me, no one cares, and no one thinks I’m worth dancing with.

BUT Jesus chooses me every time. I am his bride. He sees me, standing in the corner, dancing alone. He takes my hand and leads me to the dance floor. He is everything I want and everything I need. He knows me, my desires, my pain, my heartache. He pulls me close and whispers that he loves me and everything is going to be okay.

When I don’t know what He has planned for me, I must follow his lead. When I feel lonely, I must rememberer who chose to die for me. When I want my way, I must remember that He’s a much better dancer than me.

Like Zion in Isaiah, we have a choice to follow the Lord and be united with him. We get to be his bride, we get to be rejoiced over, we get to be danced with. We just have to say yes to his proposal and step into a new life with him.

“Christ gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault” – Ephesians 5:25-27