Radically Happy

Hat tip to Lord of The Dance, the only worship song I ever memorized for guitar

Scripture

With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation!

Isaiah 12:3

MIC Check

Today’s Most Important Challenge is…

• Beaming Hesed
• To those who hurt me
• Starting with myself

Immanuel Approach Memo

Continued from 2/17 IAM: Song-Strong

I am… at a formal reception.

Kings and emperors
Presidents and CEOs

I am not one of them
But I manage to fit in

I smile at the small talk
And hold my my own
(And my peace)
On whispered business

I look for Jesus.

He is standing in a corner
Wearing dirty work clothes

He was invited here
Because they know intellectually
That they need His help

But they don’t respect Him
Much less love Him

Do I?

He catches my eye
And grins

He pulls out His jazzy trumpet
And begins to blow

Oh no.

Nobody else seems to hear Him
Perhaps because nobody else
Is looking at Him
For Him
To Him

But I can tell by His eyes
He wants me to dance
For Him
To Him
With Him

I sigh

Look for an empty space
Hang my suit jacket on chair
And begin to dance

I’m not very good
More Charlie Brown
Than Napoleon Dynamite

But the music…
Is intoxicating

I surrender to it
I want to close my eyes
But I dare not bump into those
Still trying to enjoy the party
Rather than Jesus

But I dare not bump into those
Still trying to enjoy the party
Rather than Jesus

So I am forced to watch
Or maybe
I get to watch

At first
Thankfully
Nobody notices me
Any more than they do the music

Those nearest me
Move away
Perhaps unconsciously
Creating space
A sacred circle

This
Draws attention
From those far away

They can sense something happening
But don’t know what
Or why

All that
Is at the edges of my perception

I keep looking at Jesus
Keep feeling the music
Feeling the joy
Taking me over

It is not mindless
But it is not rational
It is holy
Wholesome
Wholeness

It is not mindless
But it is not rational
It is holy

I see people laughing behind their hands
But I realize
It is their own discomfort
Not true mockery
(If that’s even a thing)

The circle widens
As people pull away
More and more watching

Jesus is louder and louder
But nobody else seems to hear Him
Though a few start unconsciously tapping their feet
In time to the music
Or in sympathy with my dance

Part of my brain screams
I look like an idiot
I’m making a fool of myself

Maybe I’m just deluded
I could be throwing away my reputation
My identity
Everything I spent my life building

My company will fire me
My family disown me
My friends despise me
(Again)

Fine

The music of Jesus
Is far more real
Than all the shallow status games
Petty politics
Ruinous relationships
Of this mean and broken world

If this is the hill I must die on
Alone
Dancing my life away
From excessive love for Jesus

That is still a better choice
Than holding back
From fear or doubt
To preserve my self

The dance reaches a crescendo
The crowd grows still
Every eye on me
Sensing something
Even if they don’t hear

This could be The End

Then the miracle occurs.

At the other end of the room
I see my wife
See me
Seeing Jesus

She follows my gaze
And sees Him
As if for the first time

But knows
This is the Jesus
Of her heart

And slowly
Her feet start tapping
She starts swaying
As she begins
To feel
Then hear
The music

Suddenly she looks to me
Whom she thought drunk
And realizes
What made me dance

Then she runs to me
And we dance
Together

A few other couples
Not sure what is going on
Join us in the sacred circle

Awkwardly or expertly
Dancing to their own music
Until their ears perk up
And they too
Hear Jesus play
Step in time with Him
And occasionally see Him

As we start dancing
Obviously in tune with each other
Some in the crowd
Strain their ears
Trying to hear the music
And sometimes succeeding

Others rush out
Onto what we now all recognize
Is the dance floor
And try to copy our steps
Even if they don’t hear the music
Yet

Some lean against the wall
And scoff
Others talk loudly
Mockingly
As if trying to convince themselves
That there is no music

That they can’t feel it
In their bones
If not their ears

I don’t care
I am not dancing
For them

I dance
For Jesus
With my wife

And that is enough
To save the world

Finit

Inspired by Suki’s Kimono

Reflection

I feel…

• Awed
• Majesty
• Kingdom
• Authority
• Beloved
• Chosen
• Invincible