The Dance of a Lifetime

Many years ago I fell in love at the wedding reception of a friend. It was a loud, boisterous Italian event with lively music and people crowded around the dance floor. A semi-formal event, the men wore tuxedos and the women were dolled-up in their best ‘after five’ dress. The mood was joyful and light, the décor was festive; a perfect wedding reception.

One of the bride’s friends from Houston asked me to dance. This was not the stand apart from your partner and wiggle kind of dancing, it was a waltz. I had learned to waltz for a stage production high school…way back in high school; but this was a fast tempo waltz to the classic song ‘New York, New York.’ I declined the invitation to dance but he persisted. I informed him I didn’t really know what to do but, once again, he extended his hand and simply said, “Just follow me and hold on for the ride.” I’ll never forget those words.

Though I felt like a three legged cow as I stepped onto the floor, he did know what he was doing and he did it well. If it is possible to glide at the speed of light, we did. We spun around the dance floor with more style and grace than I could have imagined. Though the tempo was fast, indeed, I did as instructed; I followed him and held on. It was exhilarating! I felt a freedom and excitement I had not known existed. I did not want it to end. I wanted more and more of that emotional high. All these years later I can still feel it; I fell in love with ballroom dancing right there and then. It is a love affair that lives on today.

That dance experience was a lot like accepting Jesus, if you think about it. The invitation is extended and not always accepted People often are concerned that they will not know what to do, how to act. The three legged cow of awkwardness syndrome comes in to play. They want to but are so afraid of not living up to some standard that they may hang back. The invitation is still there for the taking, if they would just reach out and take the hand offered.

There is no other emotional high like the one you have when you experience the joy of knowing Jesus and being filled with His presence. The new found freedom you feel as, one by one, chains of bondage are broken off your life is like no other. There are times, as in a dance, when you feel closer to the Lord and times you are extended out; though He is always there holding you as you move through the steps of your life. It is the love affair of a life time if you accept Jesus when He says, “Just follow me and hold on for the ride.”