Savannah Burch

2 Samuel 6:12-22
So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.

As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.

They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord. After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord Almighty. Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. And all the people went to their homes.

When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”

David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.”

Reflection:
My cats’ names are Isabella and Rossellini (they’re lookers). Izzy and Rosie are delightful animals – vibrating space heaters, vanquishers of shoelaces and bathrobe belts, and overall surprisingly low-maintenance roommates. But sometimes, while lounging on the couch, purring as she dozes, Izzy suddenly get this wild look in her eyes and she’ll TAKE OFF! Run laps around the apartment and jump from couch to easy chair to floor to desk (how??) then skitter off in the opposite direction to do it all in reverse. A friend with a small dog calls it the zoomies. I have no idea what gets into her, but this happens on a regular basis.

As we look again at the passage from 2 Samuel, I want to focus in on David’s worship. Yesterday we discussed why he worshipped – God’s coming home! – but today we’re looking at how he worshipped. I think David caught a holy case of the zoomies. He danced so earnestly and so exuberantly that he embarrassed his wife (bless her heart). When Michal scolded David, he declared, “I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes.” – All for love of the Lord.

Sometimes we get caught up in what worship should look like. Is this the appropriate venue to lift my hands? Am I moving too much? What will other people think? If I close my eyes to let the music wash over me will I look bored? We don’t worship out loud like David…but what if we did? What if we embarrassed ourselves with an outpouring of thanksgiving for the embarrassment of riches with which we’ve been blessed? Not the things, but the relationships, the communities, and if nothing else than the fact that God’s own Spirit makes our hearts His home. What if, instead of suppressing it, we let that Spirit move us to abandon our inhibitions? If you feel like clapping or throwing your hands out wide with joy – do it! If you want to dance around during worship – do it! If you’re still at home, the only people watching are your family and Jesus.

But maybe that’s not your nature. I, like my mama, was raised German Lutheran, so dancing in the aisles feels insincere when I do it (excluding VBS and retreats, of course). Don’t let that stop you from worshipping with abandon in your own unique and Spirit-ordained way. Often I’m overwhelmed by the words of a song and have to plop down in the pew and start scribbling prayers in the margins of my bulletin because I need God to know how I’m feeling right now. I visited a church for a while where a man quietly sketched the faces of congregants during the closing songs – capturing their worship on paper was his. 

David’s worship wasn’t noteworthy by the spectacle (although it certainly was one) but by the surrender. Of dignity. Of control. Of needing to fit the mold of what kingship should look like. We don’t often surrender, but what if we did? Worship is surrender.

This week let’s give it a try. When you show up or tune in to church on Sunday, make some room in your heart for the Holy Spirit to move you. If you’re a writer or an artist have your medium handy. If you’re a dancer push the couch back. If you’ve never considered worship to be a posture of holy abandon, then gather up all of the above and spend the morning exploring which practice of uninhibited worship stirs your soul. Let’s follow David’s lead and surrender to the holy zoomies.

Closing Prayer:
God of all things, we were made to worship, but sometimes we forget that we’re allowed to do so fully. Help us to cast off decorum and worship you with abandon! May our worship, in whatever form it takes, bring a smile to your face. Amen.