When I read about Michal's disdain for David's actions in this chapter, I can't help but think about the first few times I attended a little African-American Pentacostal church in San Antonio with my best friend's family. The worship in this church was completely foreign to me. People of all different ages, shapes, and sizes would dance without abandon as they sang and played instruments. With little air conditioning, it wouldn't take long for sweat to start dripping from the dancers' foreheads, dampening their colorful Sunday best. After my initial fear subsided, my next emotion was one of skepticism. I questioned the authenticity of this wild outward showing of emotion. This white boy had come from a strict GARBC Baptist background. I could not understand this method of worship.
It wasn't after being a long-time member of one of these churches in the Houston area that I became convicted of my attitude towards people who worship differently from myself. I was always taught God was to be worshipped with dignity. But to do so required some restraint. Afterall, when you truly experience God, one of the first inclinations you should have is one of humility and an absence of self. And to abandon self and be totally immersed in the presence of God means we should not care what others think of us. I now saw these fellow worshippers in a different light. I was envious of their joy that they expressed, their total abandoment in praise to their Father! I wanted that freedom to strip off the burden of self-awereness and dance in God's presence. Just as a child will shout across a quiet auditorium when they see their parent with no care of those around them, we should have that same reaction when we come into the presence of God.
Michal saw David dancing with all abandon as he led the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem and she immediately reacted with disdain. David lacked dignity in her opinion. He had disrobed his royal garments and was dressed as any common man. David was acting as though he didn't care what people thought about him. How dare he?!! He was the king of Israel for goodness sake!!
But I love David's response to Michal after she rebukes him. He stresses it is "before the Lord" that he dances and plays music! And he goes on to say that he will become MORE undignified than this!! David is unashamed of debasing himself to worship his God!
Now this doesn't mean that this Sunday I plan on running the aisles at church or cutting the rug during praise and worship. But it does mean that if someone is moved to do so in worship, how dare I criticize it? That's not to say that some will use dancing and shouting to gain attention. But frankly, if I was truly focused and absorbed in God's presence during church, would I have the time to be looking at others? Would such praise bother me? I can tell you that through the years I have come to love and appreciate the style of worship that scared me to death in that little pentacostal church. And I respectfully suggest you do too. Because I have a feeling you'll see a lot of it in heaven when we dance and sing before the throne of God throughout eternity. Grab those dancin' shoes! It's gonna be a party!
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