August 15, 2021
A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance;
~Ecclesiastes 3:4~
We may be sitting in this year and age thinking to ourselves we have surely had enough of the things happening around us. The nations warring, the troubles in our towns, the struggles in our churches and the difficulties of change. People are ready for a time to celebrate. There has been plenty of mourning, weeping and frustration and there is coming a moment when the Lord says "time to dance." That moment is now. The Lord speaks and asks of us to begin dancing now. Take our feet and rise them up and down, showing the devil we are not backing away from the victory which is before us; "Let them praise His name with the dance; Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp." (Psalms 149:3)
The Lord is speaking life over our circumstances as we celebrate before it even manifests in front of us. He is saying to us "dance, my children, for the time is coming. Celebrate!" Let us celebrate the Lord's goodness, His faithfulness is true. He will never give up on us, why should we give up on Him? Take Miriam in the Old Testament for example, a woman who chose to dance after she had witnessed great struggle, change and death behind her. Sure it was for her benefit and the victory had already come, however going through such a thing as watching Pharaoh and his crew get swallowed up may still be quite difficult to bear. Miriam decided to dance.
"Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances." (Exodus 15:20)
Picking up her timbrel, she chose to dance as dead bodies washed up along the shoreline. She was celebrating freedom without knowing what was even ahead of her, for she did not know what or if God would do anything next. Yet it was surely "time to dance" in her eyes. She was dancing not only with the other women near by but she was dancing with the Lord. Are we ready to cast aside our own worry and pick ourselves up and dance with the Lord? He is waiting to celebrate now for He is preparing such glory to get us out on the other side of our own personal hells. Freedom awaits and Christ is leading us there! Listen as the Lord promises healing. Be patient as He says His time will come. Trust in Him as He knows exactly how to get us there. Miriam waited, Miriam watched and Miriam witnessed as God took her to the other side. We serve that same God today as Miriam served. We dance with the same One who parts the Red Sea and swallows up our threats. For there is a time for all things, all matters under Heaven. Jesus is saying it is time, dance with Him now. "Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel! You shall again be adorned with your tambourines, And shall go forth in the dances of those who rejoice." (Jeremiah 31:4)
Let us rejoice! I can assure you God is planning something worth rejoicing for now! I feel it in my very spirit being, that which is One with His. I can hear it in His voice as He speaks these words of celebration and promises to bring forth our joy. We must rely on Him and trust in Him. Our foes want us to doubt, give up and quiet ourselves. The sound of praise and the noise of our feet as we dance upon our own mourning will surely defeat the works of the enemy! It will drive them out and cause them to flee. For the light shines in the darkness and the darkness can not remain. "Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops."
(Matthew 10:27)
It is time to dance my friends! Victory is coming and that which has been stolen will be returned as we place our faith in Jesus' fulfillment. Why would He loves us so much yet leave us weeping? The answer is He does not leave us weeping, He prepares for us a time to dance. The time is now! Join in for He is already dancing, He knows what is to come next!
Prayer:
Gracious God, thank you for being the same God who delivers me out of my troubles just as You did for the israelites when You parted the Red Sea. I know You are preparing victory for me and my brethren. I choose to take Your hand and dance with You to it. Your word is true and pure. If not for Your joy I would have no strength. Fill me with Your energy so that each day I may get up and dance, celebrating the glory You have already stood in. You are not subject to time and I know You are in the moment of that Glory and I choose to join You now. I trust You and I want more of You each day. Fill me, lead me and I shall follow. In the Name above all Names I pray and receive, Jesus Christ. Amen.