“Come and dance, My child,”
invited Lord God. “It's time to whirl around with joy and hilarious
celebration.”
“Oh, that's exciting, Father! What
is the occasion? Will we join the 'welcome home' festivities for the return of the prodigal son?”
“That's an ongoing party for many
prodigals who are returning to My House. Always there is joy in
Heaven with angels rejoicing and feasting and singing and dancing by
my children on Earth. But that's not the reason I've invited you to sing and
dance.”
“Did the shepherd find his one lost
sheep? Or the woman find the coin she lost?”
“They both found what they were looking for and then called their
friends and neighbors together for a big party. But that's not the
reason I'm calling you to exult and be ecstatic with joy,” replied
Lord God.
“Is it time for Your Son to 'descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with
the trumpet of God'? Will I dance with those who rise
in the glorious resurrection and the living ones who will join in the
jubilation?”
“That time has not yet come, but
it's in My eternal schedule. It will come suddenly like a thief in
the night, so be ready.”
“Well then, You are always following
me with bountiful goodness and mercy all the days of my life, Father.
I have tons of blessings to celebrate. Is that why we are going to
dance?”
“It is good to 'come before me with
joyful singing and to enter My gates with thanksgiving and My courts
with praise.' But I have a new occasion for you to exult in Me and
sing a happy song and dance rapturously to the accompaniment of
stringed instruments. You may whirl around and turn cartwheels with
joy, if you wish.”
“Oh Father, I can hardly wait for
such a happy occasion! What are the words to the music that will be
played for my dance?”
“Listen carefully then. 'Though
the fig tree should not blossom, and there be no fruit on the vines,
though the yield of the olive should fail, and the fields produce no
food; though the flock should be cut off from the fold, and there be
no cattle in the stalls....'”
“Oh no, Father! Those can't be
the right words to sing with joy. Such things would be utter
disaster, catastrophe, total calamity! How could such words accompany
my dance! The music would instead be a dirge—a funeral song, a
mournful lament!"
“My child, take your cue from my
servant Habakkuk. Although total devastation faced his nation and
enemy invaders were storming in to devour and lay waste the entire
land and slay the people, and though he trembled with distress and
his lips quivered, he waited quietly while trusting in My
providence.”
“But Father, that was worst case
scenario! Habakkuk said violence and bloodshed was running rampant
over the land and wickedness, strife, and contention were everywhere.
The laws were ignored, justice was never upheld, and the wicked
surrounded the righteous. Moreover, the whole economy of that day
must have been in shambles! He described horrible things in his
book!”
“Not unlike conditions in your
day, my child? Listen to My servant and learn how to sing and
dance with holy joy even when facing your own worst case
scenario—personal or national. 'Yet I will exult in the Lord; I
will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength,
and He has made my feet like hinds' feet, and makes me walk on my
high places.'”
“I am silent before You, Father.
'The Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before
Him.' I don't understand how I can sing and dance under such circumstances, but I bow before You because I know You are working all things for good.”
“I AM working on the eternal picture while you see only the
miniature landscape before you. I have the nations and their leaders
in My hand. In My omnipotent wisdom and
loving judgment, I may even use godless nations as rods of
chastisement for your nation. For I know the plans that I have for
you, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and
a hope.”
“So teach me to exult in You. Teach
me to dance with holy joy because Your ways are everlasting!”
From THE RESOURCE BOOK
Various versions of the Bible
translated the word “exult” as: rejoice, be glad, shout
loudly, take great delight, sing a song of holy joy, sing a happy
song, sing loudly, celebrate, rejoice with great happiness, engage in
hilarious activity, jump about, truly find joy in, triumph in,
proclaim victory, turn cartwheels of joy, whirl around in a dance, be
ecstatic about.
Selections from the entire book of
Habakkuk. Especially 3:17-19.
Luke 15:1-32; 1 Thess. 5:1-11;
4:13-18; Psalm 100; Rom. 8:28; Phil. 3:1; 4:4; Jeremiah 29:11-14a
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