Undignified



Prayer:   Immortal, invisible,  God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessèd, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise.

Read: 2 Samuel 6:1–19
http://www.esvbible.org/2 Samuel 6:1-19

Think about It: We’ve all seen those guys at the football games who have removed their shirts only to reveal chests painted with team symbols and colors. The camera seems to focus regularly throughout the game on these guys as they are rabidly cheering and letting the whole world know of their support for their favorite sports icon. Or think about those girls (and sometimes women) standing in line at a concert or outside of a movie theater screaming and crying over the latest heartthrob from Hollywood. For the sports fan or the star-struck the opinion of those around them doesn’t matter too much. Their admiration goes to the core. This is devotion.

The picture we see of King David today is similar to that of one of those adoring fans. He has stripped to his underwear and is literally dancing before the Ark of the Lord. His devotion goes to the core and he doesn’t care who knows it. He is performing for an audience of One – His Lord and God. The people around him are merely there and not really a consideration. For us this story has always begged the question of our own public worship practices and just how devoted we are to the Lord of the Universe. Would we be willing to go all in like David did without regard for the opinions of those around us? Well, probably not. While the suggestion isn’t that we all dance around like a fan at a football game during Sunday morning worship, this David story begs the question a little bit about our devotion levels and how we express them.

What God is looking for is authenticity in our worship. For David, removing his clothes and putting on a public display of devotion was inside of his personality and was the right thing for him. Since most of us would never paint our faces for a sporting event, or scream and cry for a movie star, perhaps suddenly doing those things in worship  would not be true to who we are. With God, it is always a heart issue. Is what I feel in my heart for God being displayed in my worship, without regard for the opinion of others? If the answer is yes, then I think maybe I’m okay. Could we all be a little more devoted to God and little less concerned about the thoughts of others about us? Probably.

Prayer: Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight;
All laud we would render:  O help us to see
’Tis only the splendor of light that hides Thee.

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