Don't Forget To Dance

“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual
fervor, serving the Lord.”
Romans 12:11 (NIV)

One of the most precious videos I ever saw showed a two year old boy who finally was able to hear for the first time. Having been deaf from birth, he had never heard his mother’s voice or music playing or birds chirping – in other words, all of the sounds that we enjoy and take for granted.

As the little boy sat on his mother’s lap, she spoke gently to him, calling his name while hearing aids were placed in his ears. “Brian. Brian, its Mommy.” He jerked his head toward her face and instantly began to smile and bounce up and down on her lap. His father laughed and then cried as his son laughed back at him and reached for his arms.

Suddenly, in his excitement, the little boy jumped to the floor and danced in a circle, clapping his hands and giggling. What a beautiful reaction to hearing voices for the first time.

That pure joy reminded me of the moment I decided to give my heart to Jesus. I couldn’t quit smiling and sharing Him with everyone I met. Maybe I didn’t dance as I told my friends and family about the Lord, but inside I couldn’t contain the jig my heart was dancing at my newfound faith.

Sadly, as I got older, I forgot that excitement for what He did for me and almost (dare I say it) became complacent about my gift of eternity. I guess I could explain my fading enthusiasm by saying that as I got older, I was more dignified in my walk with the Lord.

But to be honest, I think that I began to take it for granted and I allowed my extraordinary relationship with Jesus to become ordinary (ouch). Can you identify?

Let us never forget what He did for us. Our hope is not in the temporary but in the eternal. Remember the excitement of asking the God of the Universe to live in your heart?

He is still the same Father now as He was when you first met Him face to face.  His truth has not changed. Jesus willingly died for every single one of us. He longs for a relationship with us, His children.

Share the exciting news of Jesus and His mercy and grace, forgiveness and love. And while you are at it, don’t forget to dance. 


Father, I never want to take for granted the gift of eternal life that you have given to me. May I share it with enthusiasm with everyone I meet. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. 


R.A.P. it up . . . 

Reflect
• Do you remember how you felt the moment you asked Jesus into your heart?

• How does that excitement compare with how you feel today?



Apply
• For one week, make it your goal to share the joy you have as a child of God with one person every day. 

• At the end of that week, write down all the responses you received. Could they see your excitement in your heart for the Lord? 

Power 
• Romans 12:11 (NIV) “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” 

• I Corinthians 15:58 (NIV) “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

• Colossians 3:23 (NIV) “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”

When You Can’t Find the Words

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” Romans 8:26 (NIV)

When my daughter Leigh was 2 years old, she talked nonstop. At least, I guess it was talking. She would point and jabber and put her hands on her hips and swing her arms around, trying in vain to tell her dad and me what she wanted.

We could not understand a thing she was trying to say . . . but big brother Tyler, who was 4, was an amazing interpreter for Leigh.

She would throw syllables together, look at him and he would translate “Your baby is hungry” or “Your baby wants to go outside” or “Your baby can’t find Kasheen Heidi Riegel” (her doll) and she would turn to us with a “Yes!” smile on her face.

Although Leigh was unable to put into words exactly what she wanted to say, she had a big brother who was able to speak on her behalf to share with Dad and Mom what the need was at that moment.

Just as my daughter struggled with communicating her needs, we often do not know how to express our needs as we go before the Lord in prayer. Our Father knew there would be those times when that would happen so in His love He gave us a helper – the Holy Spirit – to speak on our behalf “with groans that words cannot express.”

The Holy Spirit, who lives in each of us, knows us intimately. He knows our weaknesses and our failings and He longs to come along side us and take our requests to the Father. And because they are always in complete harmony and agreement, the groaning of the Spirit makes perfect sense to the Father.

            So tell me, what are you struggling with in prayer? Are you facing grief that is taking your breath away or heartache that is pulling you under? Are you facing a crisis situation and you just don’t know what to do?

May I suggest asking the Holy Spirit to go before the Father on your behalf? He knows your needs, He knows YOU, and He longs to speak to Abba – your Daddy – what you want to share but cannot form into words.

My son was a fantastic interpreter for his sister but that pales in comparison to the interceding that the Holy Spirit does for us . . . when we can’t find the words.

Father, thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to come along side me when my heartache is huge and my words are few and speaking to you for me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

• Have you experienced a prayer time when you absolutely had no idea what to pray?

• Did you ask the Spirit to intercede on your behalf? Why or why not?

Apply

• Write Romans 8:26 at the top of your list of prayer requests.

• As you lift up each request, ask the Spirit to intercede for you and journal those thoughts that come into your heart.

Power

• Romans 8:26 (NIV) “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.”

• Ephesians 6:18 (NIV) “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”

• John 14:16-17 (NIV) “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth . . .”

When God Has a Detour

“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O Lord,

endures forever – do not abandon the works of your hands.”

Psalm 138:8 (NIV)

It took me a few minutes to calm my shaking fingers and get my courage up to open the email. It was from a children’s editor with a very well-known publishing company and I knew she was responding to my proposal on my latest children’s book, a rhyming story about creation.

I had retired from a job I loved because I felt the Lord nudging me to speak and write full time. This book being published would be a huge confirmation of that nudging.

I opened the email to find that yes, the editor loved the book. And yes, it had made it through the submissions and editorial meetings! Now it was on to the sales team.

“Thank You, Lord! Thank you so much!” I shouted the praise in my office. This was definitely a door opening for my passion for writing. I dared to dream big: traveling, television interviews, promoting this book plus my other writings, praising the Lord for what He was doing through each word.

I hate to fly but I imagined myself jetting to New York or L.A. to do interviews about “small town girl writes for a big God.” I was so sure of the outcome that I even shared my news with a couple of my closest friends.

A week went by followed by another and another. No emails with a contract attached. And yet I was not really discouraged because I knew this journey was being directed by the Lord. The book would be published, I was sure.

And then an email. From the editor. She loved the book and how the story was presented, she said. But the sales team had decided not to publish it. Thanks but no thanks.

I read and re-read the email. Maybe I missed something when I read it so hurriedly. But no. It was a polite but firm “no thank you.”

Wait a minute, God! I’ve known for years that this is the path you have wanted for me – writing and speaking. I am sure of it – 100% sure. And yet the answer is no?

Have you been there? You knew that you were doing exactly what the Lord had directed you to do. No doubts. No second guessing. And then the path is blocked, the gate is locked, the door is slammed shut. And you start to wonder if you heard Him correctly when you prayed. What in the world?

I love the encouragement David shares in Psalm 138:8. I have no idea what was going on in his life as he wrote those words, but I love his confidence in knowing that (1) God had a purpose for him; (2) God would fulfill that purpose; and (3) God’s love for David was eternal.

I have no WOW answers, my friends. Only a belief and trust in a Father whose timing is not mine, but who fully intends to fulfill His purpose for me when – and only when – He is ready.

Can you relate? You prayed about the new job that suddenly falls through, the relationship that falls apart, and the bottom falls out of your world. Answers do not come as you were confident they would. As you felt the Lord was directing. And you are wondering why.

I understand that questioning. And yet, just because that part of our plans didn’t work out does not mean that God is not in control or that we are wrong about His plans for us.

Perhaps there are other people the Lord is working on with your plan. There may be a lesson we need to learn about trusting Him through the detours in our lives.

There will temporary or permanent detours in our journey with the Lord. But His purpose stands firm. He will fulfill His work in our lives – even when we don’t understand. Trust the One whose love for us endures forever – even in detours.

Father, I’m not sure why your direction for my life has taken a turn totally opposite from how I felt you were directing. But I trust you to complete your plan in my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

• Have you ever felt the Lord directing you specifically and yet, when you followed His direction, things turned out completely different than you thought?

Apply

• Journal the plans in your life that you were sure came from the Lord but did not work out as you had thought. Next journal how they actually turned out.
• Write down the blessings and lessons you learned in the detours. Thank the Lord for His faithfulness.

Power

• Psalm 138:8 (NIV) “The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever – do not abandon the works of your hands.”

• Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) “For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

• Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

• Philippians 1:6 (NIV) “. . . being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

• Psalm 27:14 (NIV) “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

Preparing for the Second Attack

“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” I Peter 5:8 (NIV)

                The volleyball game was intense, with every spike, every serve extremely important. This match would determine which team would play for the championship. Players yelled “mine” or “I’ve got it” or “help” on both sides of the net. Teamwork had to be 100% or failure would be certain. No one – not one team member – could be a “weak link” and watch the volleys instead of playing the game.

Each coach watched the opposing team to see if one of the players was not totally focused on the game. If they saw it, they were quick to have their players hit the ball directly at the one who wasn’t paying attention and catch them off guard.

                My granddaughter was involved in such a game. She and her teammates had won the first game of the match but the second game – the deciding game – was even harder than the first. Each girl repeatedly dug out balls that were almost hitting the ground and returned them  across to the other team as hard as they could, hoping they would not be returned but ready to attack again if they were.

                Ella and her team were able to pull out the win and the match but after the victory she went to her grandpa with a big question on her mind. “Papa,” she asked, “why was it so much harder to win the second game than the first one? We knew we could beat them because we already had. But the second win was so much harder.”

                “You made them even hungrier for the second game, Ella, because you beat them the first time,” he answered.  “They had nothing to lose and everything to gain by playing even harder. So you can’t play with the same intensity the second game like you did the first. You have to step it up and play with even MORE intensity the second time. Because your opponent will, too.”

                I couldn’t help but apply that same logic and wisdom to my life. For example, I remember a specific time when I was tempted to gossip but instead replaced negative comments with positive.  And yet within hours of praising the Lord for that victory, I was confronted with gossip about me that was both untrue and extremely hurtful.  I felt blindsided and confused and responded with angry words and accusations instead of calm and reason.

                What had just happened? I had won the first game of the match. I had turned from doing something that God hates – gossip – and instead tried to be a positive Christian influence. And with that win, I had let down my guard. I had forgotten to be ready for the second game and the intensity of the opposing team: Satan.

We can never forget that Satan doesn’t give up when we have a victory in the name of Jesus. He simply takes a step back and waits for us to be complacent. Then he regroups and attacks again with even more intensity and hate than he did the first time.

We aren’t in a volleyball game in order to win and receive a medal as the goal. We are in a war with Satan and the goal is to share Jesus so we can all spend eternity with Him.  Never be surprised by a second, more intense attack.  Be ready to bring on the intensity of the Creator of the Universe for the win, game and match.

Father, please help me to never give up in our fight to share Jesus with the world. Give me strength and courage to fight with more intensity every single day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

·         Have you ever experienced victory in a spiritual area of your life, only to be attacked again even harder in that same area? Were you prepared for the second attack?

Apply

·         Write the Power Scriptures on note cards. Place them around your home, where you work and in your car.

·         Do not be surprised when you are attacked even more strongly than before by Satan. Study the Power Scriptures and be prepared to stand firm.

Power

·         Ephesians 6:12-13 (NIV) “For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

·         I Peter 5:8 (NIV) “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

·         II Corinthians 10:4 (NIV) “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”