Free to Dance!

Blog written by Mike Verkaik

Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp. For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory. Psalm 149: 3-5 (NIV)

Can you dance? Does it seem insignificant? Can Abba use dancing to usher in His kingdom, to bring joy to despair, healing to the broken hearted, to make His heart known?

About a month ago I had the privilege of leading a group of 9 high school students to Oceans Retreat Center for a kingdom encounter. Although we met together several times before we traveled, we still had much to learn about each other’s personalities, gifts, strengths, and insecurities as we boarded the long flight to South Africa.

It did not take long for Dawn and I to realize that this group of students were uninhibited and willing to jump right into the rhythms of different cultures we entered in to. Worship on Sunday was full of singing and dancing and the students joined right in with the church members, celebrating the freedom of South African worship.

However, as the week progressed our team began to realize that one of our team members, Isabella, could dance at a totally different level! We had witnessed her quiet spirit and insightful thoughts as we shared life together, but were awakened to her dance movements as we were preparing a meal for the residents of Jim Se Bos. The request was made for some Spanish music to play in the background. The music playing was an igniter to Isabella’s soul. As she began to move, Pamela, Pastor Raymond’s wife, was drawn into a dance off trying to mimic the movements of Isabella. The dancing brought joy, laughter and a few “Whoa’s”!

This gift of dancing, seemingly insignificant, was our Father’s planted seed germinating into His kingdom expansion. Watered with prayers and compassion Abba took this seed, along with the inhibition of the group, and provided more and more opportunities to worship in the freedom of dance. We sang, danced, and commemorated His goodness, faithfulness, and provision with the children and staff at the Care Center, in the streets of Masi, the food lines in Steenberg, and the classrooms in Jim Se Bos.

Only our creative Father could take the ability of dance He gave to His daughter, place it in the midst of other’s boldness and usher in His healing power of love, joy and peace to His broken children.

What is your seemingly small seed? Are you even aware of it? Even our awareness really doesn’t matter to our Creator. The Bible is full of the small things of man that are used to bring our Father glory. Five little stones slayed a giant, a staff split a sea, a handful of flour and a little oil fed a prophet, five barley loaves and two fish fed five- thousand…. and the list goes on.

So, do you think you can dance? It does not matter. Let go of all your inhibitions and move, your Father is waiting to watch and help you!

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. 1 Corinthians 1:27-28