2 Samuel 6:14 David danced before the LORD with all his might; David was girded with a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. 16 As the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

I love this image of King David dancing with all his might before the Lord, to the point of looking foolish. He just didn’t care what people thought about him. His dancing and worship was to please the Lord alone. Even his own wife was embarrassed by him. Whatever. There is a boldness in lavish worship that blesses God and people

I’m part of the Lutheran denomination, which is not a tribe known for lavish, unabashed worship – at least not in a physical sense. You won’t see much in the way of jumping or dancing or even raising hands. That’s not a bad thing. It’s simply a cultural reflection of the northern European roots from which Lutheranism comes. Worship in a Lutheran church tends to be orderly, controlled, dignified. Again, this is not a criticism, but my experience of things.

That said, I was once pastor of a church (one in which I served as the church planter) which was not nearly as reserved in its physical expression of worship. There was much more movement, verbal participation, even dancing. There was more of a charismatic edge in the church’s worship life than what I had anticipated in its formation, but was glad to embrace when it emerged. This morning I’m aware that I miss that kind of worship. There’s something about worshipping with a sense of physical abandon that is cathartic for me, pleasing, spiritually satisfying.

Lord give me grace to worship you with physical vigor, like David did. For we are not on this earth to please other people, but to please you. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.