Skip to main content

The Lord of the dance - June 2016 prayer column

Image
By
If you’re a dancer you may want to kick at the use of this analogy, but we’re reading a book (King’s Cross by Timothy Keller) which likens Christian faith to a dance.  His point is that, whoever we are, we can’t always be at the centre of a dance: we must also circle round others.   And that’s the nature of relationship.  It’s also the nature of God – in three persons, in relationship, like a dance.  A dance into which we are invited, and for which we were created, and in which alone we shall find full joy.  Rebellion, which began in Eden, is insisting on God dancing round us:  I must understand, or have, or do, or be – anything but walk in faith, or trip to the divine.

It made me wonder about prayer.  In prayer we relate to God as we speak, and even more as we listen, and most of all if we trust and obey.  But is our prayer like that – mine or yours?  How much dancing with the Lord is there in our prayers, alone, or in church, or in our prayer meetings?  Are we ever guilty of using prayer as a cover for getting what we want?   Prayer may sound holy, but it isn’t if it’s selfish.  Nor if we just crank the handle of intercession without pausing to ask God how we should pray for those we hold up before him (what we should be asking for) – not to mention listening for his call to move in sync with them as well as him – like helping, or healing, or encouraging, or listening, or praying for (much?) longer.  In faith, with the Lord of the dance. 

Roy LS


A prayer for each week
Lord God, who danced in the morning when the world was begun, please help us to dance in stewardship to the rhythm of your beat.  Amen.

Lord God, who invites all to dance with you, following, following, please help us to abandon hindrance and step wherever you take us.  Amen.

Lord God, whose dance spans all time and every day, with compassion for the lame, please help us to raise them to their feet in your name.  Amen.

Lord God, who danced to the Father’s call even on that bleak Friday, leading to Easter Day gold, please help us also to trust and obey.  Amen.

Your own prayers



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Virtual Worship - 3 April 2022

By
A Methodist Way of Life - April 2022 - Praying Daily Service sheet (pdf) Start by listening to ‘Lead me Lord’:  Hello and welcome to the Bradford North worship video for April, the first of 12 services focusing on the commitments contained within the Methodist Way of Life and introduced by Rev David Goodall in last month’s video. My name is Claire Nott: I’m a local preacher on trial in the circuit and one of the lay pastors at Baildon Methodist Church. The anthem you heard at the start was Samuel Wesley’s ‘Lead me Lord’, based on Psalm 5 verse 8. Our call to worship is a selection of other verses taken from the same psalm: I pray to you, O  Lord ; 3      you hear my voice in the morning; at sunrise I offer my prayer [ b ]     and wait for your answer. all who find safety in you will rejoice;     they can always sing for joy. Protect those who love you;     because of you they are truly happy ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Soupermums! Wilsden Trinity Church

By
Do you have a young baby? Looking for something to do? If the answer is yes then Soupermums is for you. We're here from 11 until 1 every Monday, Mums (and dads) have a rest and the babies can play. Have a lovely sit down whilst you sip on a brew. Enjoy having someone else make lunch for you! Come along to Wilsden Church, meet the rest of the group. Lovely ladies cuddle the babies, whilst you eat your soup. Chat with the mums, new friends you will make. Swap tips and advice over a slice or two of cake. So what are you waiting for? come on along, For homemade treats, good company and if you're lucky a song. We're looking forward to meeting you, please come take a peek, 11-1 at Wilsden Trinity, we're here every week! Celine V  (a Soupermum!) Where can new mums go, to have lunch where it’s warm and safe and you get to eat fresh soup and homemade cakes, while someone holds your baby? Too big an ask? Not at Wilsden Trinity! Every Mond...
Post a Comment
Read more

Marion Boase - Memorial Service

By
We learnt, with sadness, early last week that Marion Boase, a local preacher who was accredited in the Woodhouse Grove circuit, and went south to live with her daughter a few years ago, as her health was failing, died on 26 January. Marion’s funeral took place in the south of England on Monday 3 February, but it was her wish that a memorial service be held in Bradford, where she grew up and had spent most of her life. This has now been arranged and it will be led by Nick Blundell, with input from Martin Bashforth, at St Andrew’s on Sunday 16 February at 12.30 pm . All local preachers and church members who knew Marion are invited to remember her at this special service. Our thoughts and prayers are with Marion's daughter, family and friends.
Post a Comment
Read more