8. November 2007 by BruceSmith.

Greetings Bloggers!

I wanted to make you aware of a couple of exciting things. Earlier today I had the privilege of being interviewed on one of the major New Orleans talk radio programs. The Jim Brown show on 99.5fm is one of the most listened to morning drive shows in the area. The interview link is here for your listening pleasure!

http://www.soulstormsite.com/assets/multimedia/JimBrown2007-11-08.mp3

Also, tomorrow morning the blog will feature the unveiling of something I am very amped up about. It will be the first installment of what will be a regular Friday offering, and I am hopeful that many of you bloggers will be equally amped up about the nature of this new venue. You will have to get your blog on to see just what it is, so get up early, have a cup of Java, and log in!

Have a great evening!

Bruce

optimuslife.org

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8. November 2007 by BruceSmith.

The Dance

November 8, 2007

Not too long ago I was asked to lead the prayer time in my local church. I was given the platform and was encouraged to not only pray, but to “set” the stage for the prayer time and the subsequent message. The general charge for the day was to pray for marriages.

The timing of this privilege, as always, was particularly divine in its orchestration. Though I am part of the planning and creative team for services, I had not been in on the planning for this particular service, and only knew that the topic of the day would be a continuation of the current series on sexuality.

The evening before the service I had the thrill of taking my eight year old daughter to the ballet for her first time. It was a fantastic evening and one of those occasions to remember. As we watched the dancers, and as I watched my eight year old take it all in, I could not help but think, “God calls us to dance”. Captivated by the creativity, beauty, expression, and grace of these dancers I began to think on the reality that too few of us know what it means to dance in our souls before the Lord. All too few of us know the ecstasy of dancing as David danced when he totally lost himself in worship and abandoned all (including his wardrobe!) but his desire to exult in the presence of God.

As I sat in worship service that Sunday, preparing my heart for prayer, I was struck by the choice of songs for the day. Almost without exception, each song alluded to “dance” in one way or another. The connection between the ballet the evening before, what God was stirring in my heart, and the worship songs that morning totally altered how I would lead prayer that morning. On a dime, it was as if the Spirit of God was saying to me, “Lead them to hunger for the dance” in relation to marriage, sexuality, and life.

When it came time for me to speak and to pray I simply called attention to the fact that God desires that we might know Him so intimately that we might have a sense of being swept up in His arms, and a feeling of being captivated as we live a life dancing with and before Him. As we prayed, we asked God that He would restore this life of dance to those who had lost it long ago, and that He would spark it in the lives of those who had never experienced it. Many of us, due to the events of life, have long lost the wonder and beauty of our walk with God, and merely grope before Him. Broken marriages, dark addictions, severed emotions, and deep regret leave many, if not most, without any sense of the divine dance.

Worse, many have chosen to dance in the lap of Satan and have thereby found themselves chained to a life which leads to greater emptiness, depression, and frustration. When we choose the dance of carnality, even as we cut that rug, life feels more like a march of madness. This reality came to roost a number of years ago when a close friend, who was struggling in a marriage, told me of a decision to take dancing lessons in a local night spot. My very strong advice was, “I am not against dancing, it has its proper place and time, but in your situation, with your marriage struggling, and considering the nature of the night spot and what people will be looking for there, DON’T do it”. Sadly, my advice fell on deaf ears, and in a short amount of time, this individual found themselves involved in an affair with someone in the class. The twosome danced themselves into a life of deceit, corruption, darkness, and total brokenness. They should not have had that dance. We see the effects of such decisions around us everyday in the countless tales of divorces, suicides, abuse, murder, and on and on.

So here is the question for the day, “Shall we dance?” The answer is “yes” and “no”. God has called us into a relationship with Him that can send our hearts and souls dancing in delight. We should take Him up on His offer to dance. We must also be aware that there are many other opportunities to “dance” in this life. These invites, if taken, turn quickly from dance to darkness. In actuality, when we choose to dance in the lap of Satan, we find ourselves crippled by the steps which unfold. This tango leads to a tangled web of pain and purposelessness.

Have you known what it means to dance in your spirit? Have you lost this passion to dance? Are you placing yourself in places, relationships, and settings which offer you partnerships which will actually lead to your downfall? Consider your dancing partner!

Embrace the call to dance before Him! Allow Him to lead. Follow the steps He has set before you. In doing so you will find the life you were meant to live.

Now get out there and dance!

Bruce Smith

optimuslife.org

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