Praising In All Circumstances
3.26.15
Last night I was reading about the Ark of the Covenant in 2 Samuel. I know I learned this in the past, but now as I discover, have experienced, and am learning more about the presence of God, the Ark of the Covenant blows me away. It was the literal resting place of the presence of God. Whaaaaaaat?! Can you even imagine the magnitude of knowing and being able to see exactly where the presence was dwelling? I think you’d be sure to present yourself in the most noble of manners if you were ever able to see the Ark or be anywhere near it. The dwelling of the presence; so amazing!
Learning about king David and the way he sought the presence of the lord with all his heart just motivates and amazes me! He danced with his entire being because the greatness of the presence was just too much! The presence of the Lord brought him to dancing! What a beautiful picture; a king dancing through his kingdom, among his people, praising the one true King!
However, not everyone understood it; Michal, daughter of Saul, reprimanded David for making a fool of himself in front of his people and servants. David replied by telling her it was in honor of the Lord and His presence. “I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this.” David’s dancing and praise looked foolish to Michal because she was standing on the outside and couldn’t bow down and honor God herself- therefore Michal did not understand David’s expression of honor and praise. In criticizing and rejecting the presence of God, Michal remained barren all the days of her life.Our God is a loving God, but something we oftentimes like to ignore, is that he’s also just. He deserves honor, and those who disregard his name will have to stand account for it.
She didnt understand his crazy expression of worship. That makes me sad. Some of my most cherished moments have been spent in complete self agony, but complete abandon to my father- aware only of His presence in my home…probably looking like a complete fool either in dance, yelling in praise, in a ball of surrender, or in tears depending on that particular moment! These are my sweetest moments. These are my most cherished encounters that keep me wanting more…keep me pushing…keep me seeking…keep me obedient…HIS PRESENCE. I can not even explain the fullness of those moments. Ah. In those moments I want for nothing. Nothing at all! I want more of that. I want that for everyone. Complete surrender, and the Lord’s sweet touch, voice, and company. Its the best.
Michal’s story breaks my heart. It breaks it completly- she missed it. She snarked at someone relishing the presence of the Most High, and ruined her own life because she thought she had it all figured out. Poor girl…the consequences of that momentary ignorance followed her through her entire life. Ah, that just hits me right in the heart and breaks me. I want to see God in the good and in the bad. Michal’s ignorance reminds me of a passage that stands as a great source of hope and a reminder to be thankful in all circumstances:
The Future Glory of Zion
54 “Sing, barren woman,
you who never bore a child;
burst into song, shout for joy,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband,”
says the Lord.
2 “Enlarge the place of your tent,
stretch your tent curtains wide,
do not hold back;
lengthen your cords,
strengthen your stakes.
3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
your descendants will dispossess nations
and settle in their desolate cities.
-Isaiah 54:1-3-
The Lord is faithful! We must posture our lives to give praise in all circumstances, both good and bad. Eucharisteo. This is the nature of faith- it looks ahead and lives accordingly. Beautiful.
Leave a Comment