Waltzing with God
“None shall be weary nor stumble among them.”
In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis describes the Trinity as a “dynamic, pulsating activity, a life, almost…a kind of dance.” Any of you who had dance classes as part of Phy. Ed. will remember the uncomfortable work of learning to waltz. “One, two, three, one, two, three.” “Step back, two, three, step to the side, two, three, step forward, two, three.” Numerology had a profound influence on Judaism, and later, on Christianity. The number three was considered a perfect number. Hence, our Triune God was perfect and made creation whole.
Relating to God on a daily and intimate basis is like dancing a waltz. All three movements are necessary. “Father, two three, Son, two three, Spirit, two three.” In our dance with God, all three parts are essential to a deep and intimate waltz with the divine One in Three. But if you were an awkward 8th grader like I was, you didn’t just walk in and wow your partners with your confident, graceful movements. No, you started with the Fox Trot, or, in my case, the Ox Trot, and as C.S. Lewis describes, you move on to the waltz and then to the Tango.
The spiritual life with our Triune God is a dance, and dancing takes practice, patience, and commitment. 8th grade me didn’t dance like Baryshnikov for at least five or six lessons! The same is true of our spiritual dance with God. Too many people give up on prayer after a few attempts because it feels awkward or embarrassing if caught in the act. Yet, stepping into a relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit will lift your mood and bring joy to all areas of your life.
Practicing the spiritual dance with God will energize your life. There is no situation or problem that you cannot grace-fully move through if you dance it with God. I love the simile of the waltz with God because when you waltz, you hold on to your partner. Dancing through life’s challenges with God works because you are holding on to each other, and God will not let you stumble and fall. Begin your dance, and while you may not waltz like a pro, you can dance with God in a grace-filled way.
