Day 40

Do you need to dance?

Notice I didn’t say do you like to dance, or even can you dance. Neither of those is true for me - I’m not terribly coordinated or graceful, and am rather self-conscious of how foolish I look out on the dance floor.

God calls me to a joy-filled party in His house. He asks me to lay aside my perceptions of what is fair, what others (and I) deserve, and my “trophies” of being a hard-working, “good” Christian. Instead, God asks me to join Him in an exuberant celebration when one more person finds their way home and into His arms.

Our God is a God of festivities, I believe. He wants to fill my life with the joy of His presence and love, and He wants that to be enough for me. Regardless of my circumstances, what I have and what I don’t, what I’ve done and where I’ve been, He invites me in to an ongoing, amazing celebration.

Jesus leaves the story unfinished. We don’t know how the older brother reacted.

My story, too, is unfinished. And the choice to accept or reject God’s blessings, of course, is mine. Will I remain outside, caught up in my own pride, deciding I won’t stoop so low as to mingle with the likes of “those people” whom God has welcomed?

Or will I realize my Father’s love for me is all-encompassing and is not diminished by His love for others. And that I will be with Him always, and He is all I really truly need or want, anyway.

I probably need to come on in and dance more. You?


Lee Thrasher