Professor of Preaching at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama. He is a Contributing Editor to Preaching.
When I meditated on the word GUIDANCE, I kept seeing “dance” at the end of the word. I remember reading that doing God’s will is a lot like dancing. When two people try to lead, nothing feels right. The movement doesn’t flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky. When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music. One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing lightly in one direction or another. It’s as if two become one body, moving beautifully. The dance takes surrender, willingness, and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other.
My eyes drew back to the word GUIDANCE. When I saw “G,” I thought of God, followed by “u” and “i.” “God ‘u’ and ‘i’ dance.” God, you and I dance. As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust that I would get guidance about my life. Once again, I became willing to let God lead.
My prayer for you today is that God’s blessings and mercies be upon you on this day and everyday. May you abide in God as God abides in you. Dance together with God, trusting God to lead and to guide you through each season of your life...And I hope you dance!
[x]This article adapted from
Doctrine that Dances by Robert Smith. Copyright © 2008 by Robert Smith. Published by B&H Books, Nashville, Tennessee. Used by permission.
[i] Gerhard von Rad, Biblical Interpretations in Preaching, trans. John Steely (Nashville: Abingdon, 1977), 12.
[ii] Dorothy L. Sayers, “The Greatest Drama Ever Staged,” in
Christian Letters to a Post-Christian World (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1969), 13.