Dancing before God

As we are hearing about the war between Israel and Palestine, where do we feel that in our body? Is it anger and the clenching of the jaw or anxiety with a knot in our intestines? As we are continually seeing another storm, more flooding, and the indifference by the majority of corporations and parts of our government leadership, where do we feel the despair, do we feel the weight upon shoulders?

We are a body of Christ, we are a faith of incarnation, Logos made flesh. For too long our faith has been centered on our beliefs and in our minds. We have included our hearts and love, but not enough to let God's love flow through our entire being and through our body. We grew up in a worship service that, as children, we were punished if we didn't sit still. We were told to listen so we may understand, but not to feel it with our bodies.

As I thought and prepared this sermon, I wondered about our Words to Enter Worship with the almost frivolous songs of "If you are happy and you know it", "Hokey-Pokey", and "Pharaoh, Pharaoh." I remembered the Peanuts cartoon and Snoopy regularly doing his 'happy dance.' In one of the strips, Lucy asks Snoopy why he is dancing when there is so much suffering in the world, Snoopy pauses, but then continues to dance because in that moment, because he can. We are to bring joy into the world.

I just finished reading the whole of 1st Samuel as I working my way through the Bible. The story of the Israeli people back then is one of uncertainty, survival, constant threats, and a relationship with God is always off-balance. The Hebrew people demand from God that they want a king so that they can be like everyone else. God replies through the prophet Samuel that their kings will take that best land, young men and women, and be corrupt, but they don't care. Saul is first crowned king but succumbs to its trappings and power. Samuel then anoints David which makes Saul jealous and tries to kill him numerous times. So David flees and lives in the wilderness, even at one point lives with Israel's enemies so he isn't pursued by his own people. We find in today's story that King David is bringing the arch into the then capital of Hebron. Now that there is some peace and a time for joy, David casts off all the trappings of the king, and most of his clothes, and wildly dances with abandon.

It doesn't feel like a morning to employ "Happy Dance!" Though in our community, we did have opportunities to dance. The North Shore Swing Band played Thursday night and the only person dancing was Rhonda Silence, looking healthier and enjoying herself. Last night at North House, there was a Contra Dance that allowed us to move together. This doesn't mean we should ignore our bodies this morning. We know that in Israel and Palestine, there are too many that are bound and frozen in fear. We know that in Ukraine the war has left too many without a place to sleep, to rest, and wounded. In places following the storms and flooding, we know that bodies are worn down as they seek to repair the damage down and the grief of homes and places lost.

Let's begin by putting a hand on our abdomen and feel the rising and falling our breath...

Let's acknowledge the places in our body that carry the sadness, fears, anger, and despair...

With every breath in, let us breathe deep the breath of God, the love of God and the peace of God...

With every breath out, let us release all else...

Let our hand move to our chest, holding our heart and beat a rhythm...

Let tears fall, if need be....

Let us rise to our feet, for those who are able...

Let us stomp our right foot...releasing our anger...

Let us raise our hands and ask God to fill us with love...

Let us fold our hands in prayer and bow in penitent prayer for peace...

Let us be still and know God...

Let us sway in rhythm and harmony with the God of creation, inviting hope into our movements...

Amen. You may be seated.

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