“Take the shackles off my feet so I can dance”. Sounds like fun. And it is! It’s a song by a group called Mary Mary (the song is “Praise You”, if you want to listen.)
When you hear it, I’m sure you’ll understand why it’s one of my favorites for joyful dancing. It’s great for those times when you have so much inside, you just have to let it out.
Sometimes we see our Christian life as tying us down. Our mind is harsh with us--“No more of this, get busy with that --and for SURE no more of the other!”
But when God works in our lives, He actually sets us free to be the person we were always created to be. Free to dance our best dance, sing our best song, laugh our deepest laughs. Free to open our hearts to experience love…and free to love beyond ourselves.
It doesn’t happen all at once.
Say you’re treading water, making it on your own, doing fine when it’s calm and pretty…but you’re getting tired ‘cause you’re dragging burdens with you, more and heavier as you go along. You know you’re in trouble when it gets stormy, but you’ve made it this far…still, there’s no freedom to dance when you’re dragging chains--and in your heart, you know you’re headed for drowning.
“Saved” is where you let Him pull you into the boat.
But once we’re on board, we don’t have to sit there, safe but dripping, crouched down in our corner or getting in the way of anyone who comes by. Or worse yet, warm and dry, smacking down at those who are still in the water! When the folks still in the water see us there, they should see us dancing and hear the laughter, and long to come on board themselves! Not get near and then get smacked!
Once you’re on the boat, if you’ll stop shuffling around, dragging your chains, and stay still long enough to let Him, He’ll take the shackles off your feet—and off your heart too—so you can dance.
Christian meditation is a time for you to stop, a time to sit down and hold out your chains. And then He will set you free to dance your journey. He will set you free to relish the trip-- free to be useful to others on board, and the ones still in the water, too.
It’s a link by link process, being set free, but we dance better every time another one breaks loose.
And as you get free, He’ll show you how to sail into the wind. To experience the beauty of the world you’re in, and trust in the adventure of the One you’re journeying to.
If you’re still in the water—take His hand and come on board.
But if you’re already on board, stop dragging those chains around. Be still for a bit, and let Him take the shackles off your feet so you can dance! And then join me for the party up on the prow.
I still trip and fall sometimes. But my chains are dropping too!
Dr. Deborah Kukal is a licensed psychologist who has been teaching meditation in a hospital setting for more than 15 years.
Dr. Kukal's Christian meditation CDs will teach you to meditate, and support you in your meditation.
To learn more about meditation, and try a free guided Christian meditation, visit Dr. Kukal at her website, www.joyofchristianmeditation.com
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