PIONEER COLUMN (July '09) - Letting go

A few years ago my pastor preached a sermon on unabashed, uninhibited, totally abandoned worship. The kind of worship that displays devotion to God with no regard for pride or embarrassment. The kind of worship that’s a heartfelt expression, setting aside all concern for keeping up appearances.

Pastor was teaching the story of David bringing the Ark of the Covenant to rest in Jerusalem. 2 Samuel describes a festive occasion—cheering crowds, the sounding of the trumpets, and dancing in the streets. In fact, King David himself danced before the Lord, “with all his might” (2 Samuel 6:14). David left his regal demeanor and attire behind. He danced with zealous excitement that gave homage—respect, reverence—to God.

Respect? Reverence? A king and mighty warrior dressed in a simple tunic, an under garment, dancing through the streets as an act of reverence?

The passage moved our pastor to one of those humbling comparison points: would I be able to cast aside my inhibitions to worship God so freely? He admitted he wasn’t sure he could. Far from being a reserved man, the prospect of being so transparent as to dance in his underwear—even before the Lord—struck him as difficult.

Most people don’t remember this self-admission. It’s the outrageousness that sticks in their memories. Years later people still remark, “You’re not going to dance in your underwear, are you Pastor?” Because dancing for God with all your might, dressed only in your underwear is not reverent. It’s just ridiculous.

And that’s how David’s wife, Michal, saw things. Her sarcastic quip, “How the king distinguished himself today!” (2 Samuel 6:20) revealed that her husband’s display was simply low-class.

We tend to look at homage to God—reverence—as a somber experience. It calls for quiet, stillness, our most reserved self. Yet this reverence at times holds us back, keeps us from giving God the best we have. We control the behavior instead of letting our spirits speak to God.

David’s dance speaks of joy and thankfulness for the return of the ark—the container holding the Ten Commandments, and to the ancient Israelites, the representation of the very presence of God. David’s attire speaks of humility, perhaps even penitence. See, the first venture to bring the ark to Jerusalem was anything but reverent.

Somewhere in the history of God’s people the sacred and mysterious instructions for transporting the holy objects were lost. God had detailed the proper procedure for traveling with the ark. Two gold-plated poles were inserted into four gold rings attached at each side of the box. The poles were lifted, and the ark rose above the shoulders of the carriers. The traveling Israelites processed behind at a distance of about half a mile. Though the ark was out of their sight lines, the people stepped out. By day or night, God remained with them as a pillar of cloud or fire, showing the way.

The first attempt to move the ark was little more than corporate relocation. The moving company pulled up, hoisted the ark to a cart, hitched the cart to a team of oxen, and hit the road with two men leading the way. It was an efficient and expedient operation, but it wasn’t reverent. God was not honored and He canceled the move.

In time, David tried again…with four priests serving as ark bearers. And when they had taken only six steps, the procession came to a halt and the company offered sacrifice to the Lord. They had it right—they were giving God the honor He deserved. And it was cause for unrestrained, jubilant worship all the way to the city of Jerusalem.

Reverence is the response to the sanctity and mystery of God. Sometimes that response is quiet humility. Sometimes it is singing. Or fasting. Or feeding the hungry and visiting the sick. Or reflecting on His word. Or dancing—even dancing before Him in your underwear.