Dancing Heart Part 2

Ruth 2:12“May the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully.”
Under his wings. Protection. Covering. How marvelous the knowledge that anyone can take refuge in Him!
He sees, he hears, he knows your heart’s cry. He is the one truly safe place to take refuge and he’s more than willing to spread his covering over you. Imagine protected by the Most High.

I Samuel 12:20“Don’t be afraid.” Samuel reassured them, “You have certainly done wrong but make sure now that you worship the Lord with all your heart and that you don’t turn your back on him in anyway.”
Of course we’ve done wrong! All of us! God knows we’re not perfect… he just says, “Worship me.” and “Don’t turn away.” He can heal any sin- but not if we don’t turn to him. Not if we’re worshiping other gods. He is so gracious!

2 Samuel 22:18“He delivered me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me.”
Looking back at my bout with depression, this verse takes special meaning. He delivered me! I wasn’t strong enough. But he didn’t require me to be strong. How thankful I am for a God who uses weakness to display his strength.

1 Kings 8:55“He stood there and shouted this blessing over the community…”
I love the idea of “shouting blessings”. Is that not what most of the scripture is? Blessings- shouted across the pages through the winds of time: “I will save you and raise you up! I will heal you! Be mine!” God’s precious, priceless Blessings!

2 Kings 19:22“Whom do you think you have been insulting and ridiculing? Against whom did you raise your voice? At whom did you look in such proud condescension? It was the Holy One of Israel!”
I love it when God rears his head back and says, “Okay, your ignorance has gone too far- Do you know who you’re talking to?” It reminds me that the scorn against him (that seems to be growing in our nation rapidly!) will not last forever. He is waiting patiently, giving men a chance to repent- and then He will rise, with glory and splendor and power to say, “It is I!”

I Chronicles 12:38“All these men came in battle array to Hebron with the single purpose of making David King of Israel…”
Something about this verse (and the lists of mighty men preceding it) makes me feel excited. God’s anointing when David was just a shepherd boy- the years in the wilderness- they all led to this- David’s crowning glory. Can’t God also create a beautiful masterpiece with my life? Can I be a “mighty woman of God” who sets forth with the “single purpose” of giving Christ the honor he deserves?

2 Chronicles 33:13“And when he prayed, the Lord listened to him and was moved by his request for help…”
This was Manasseh. Remember anything about him? He was one of the most evil Kings of Judah. Scripture says he “filled the land with innocent blood” and he sacrificed his own son in the fire. In fact, it was his reign that made God say that Judah’s time was finished- the evil had grown too great (although, his grandson Josiah humbled himself before God and that generation was spared- it was the next one that was exiled.) and punishment was unavoidable. But because Manasseh himself was so evil, God had him captured.
And that’s when this happened… in his captivity- he turned to God. How marvelous the grace of our Lord! Manasseh humbled himself and God heard him. Isn’t God’s love incredible? Doesn’t it make your heart dance?

Ezra 6:10“Then they will be able to offer acceptable sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for me and my sons.”
This is Darius speaking, the King of Babylon. Darius the Mede… Daniel and the Lion’s Den- that Darius.
Do you know what he’s doing? He’s issuing a decree to have the temple rebuilt in Jerusalem. Isn’t it marvelous how the Lord works? Here, Ezra and the workers are at a stand-still- unable to finish the temple and praying for a miracle. And there, in Babylon, is Daniel- facing a pit full of Lions. But then! Darius learns to honor the true God! And he issues the decree that finishes the temple. The answer to so many prayers… and, if I don’t miss my guess- the answer to Daniel’s prayers that Darius would find God. I love how the Lord works!

Nehemiah 7:1“After the wall was finished and I had hung the doors in the gates, the gatekeepers, singers & Levites were appointed.”
The gatekeepers were those who controlled what went out and what came in to the city. The singers were those who went daily to the temple to praise God. The Levites were the priests who were in charge of the temple and could go into the Lord’s presence. The “dancing heart” part? With Jesus, I can be all of these things! He stands and watches with me at the gate of my mind… he goes with me to sing praises…and he ushers me into the presence of the Holy One!

Esther 9:4“For Mordecai had been promoted in the King’s palace, and his fame spread throughout the provinces as he became more and more powerful.”
I love this because at one point Mordecai was alone in standing for what was right (not bowing to Haman) and then the next thing-- all the Jews, including him, were condemned to die! It must have seemed like God had abandoned him. But that was not the end! God’s stories never end there! God shall not be mocked- Men reap what they sow.

Job 42:17“Then he died, an old man who had lived a long, good life.”
I know…this doesn’t seem very “dancing heartish”… except, there is something touching about this sentence. After you read all through Job’s trials- His tears. His depression. His heartache. His sorrow. Then God speaking and Job sees God. He has said over and over how much he longs to see God & then he does! Then we hit the conclusion- his life was long and good. After all, seeing God is the point- the thing that makes living worth-while. Oh, that realization makes my heart dance!

Psalms 145:16“When you open your hand, you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.”
I love this because there have been times (especially over the last two years) when I have been “dying of thirst”. It felt like I was lost forever in the desert. Stuck seeing mirages that kept my heart aching with desires but left my soul parched… and God finally spoke- and when he opened his hand- living water flowed. And now, here I stand, drinking deeply of the well that will never run dry! How I love Him!

Proverbs 30:5"Every word of God proves true. He defends all who come to him for protection."
Isn’t this lovely? I find it breathtakingly beautiful. That we can trust every word that God speaks. That we can seek shelter in him. The Redeemer who willingly defends all who ask -- “Seek me and Live!”