April 5, 2006
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Edit: April 5th….see below
The Dance
“I’m broken”, I cried
“And unable to run.”
“Come dance”, said the Father,
“The day has begun.”
“I’m weak”, I repeated,
“And haven’t the power”
“Dance with me”, said Jesus,
“Come join me this hour.”
He called and entreated
In daybreak’s new voice
HE’d started the life-dance,
But gave me the choice.
So, cautious and timid
And lame,
I joined in
The Dance with
The Lover
Who’d overcome sin.
I looked on The Lover;
my eyes now off me,
And I sunned in His pleasure
And soon came to see
The freedom that’s found
In the Father’s delight,
The wholeness and love found
While dancing in light.
If you’re broken
Or lame
Or imprison’d today,
Look not on your shackles;
By choice look away
To Him
Who delights
To make prisoners free.
COME
Join, dance, and worship,
my friend, now with me.
© copyright april 2006, james a. smallish
Edit: April 5th
Now a brief word of explanation:
I was having a hard time over a recent stumble into one of my own “besetting sins” (nothing major, just big to me) the other day. I’d lost some peace and connection to God, and knew that I wanted to get back to praising Him ASAP. I, however still have a little of that feeling that there is a need to wait; suffer; pay penance, as it were. A wonderful praise song came on the radio, and I wistfully wished to God that I could enter in to worshiping Him. I SWEAR that in as close to an audible voice as I’ve ever heard, without being audible, God said,” Well, come on, then!” I was lifted, but a little later told God, “But I’m not even worthy to worship you”.
In the same uplifting, enjoining voice I “heard”…………..”Who is?”
I got the point; almost immediately after the first breakthrough the poem above began to “pop into” my head.
(by the way, the profile dancer is not me…photo courtesy of freefoto.com)
Exodus 15:20-
Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took the timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dancing. Miriam answered them, ” Sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted; The horse and his rider He has hurled into the sea.”
Psalm 150:
Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty expanse. Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness. Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre. Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!
Comments (44)
Delightful!
When we take our eyes off ourselves and look to Jesus we can do alot of interesting things.
RYC: I just happened to notice….:) I keep stumbling across your site just at the right time, I guess. Maybe something about similar schedules. I found it really hard to get up that hour “earlier” yesterday, even though I slept well the night before. Kinda like jet lag.
“By choice look away” … so good!!
Reminds me of the old saying,
“Don’t tell God how big your storm is, Tell your storm how big your God is!”
Peter was doing ok walking on water until he looked from Jesus to the size of the waves and storm.
simply wonderful
That’s beautiful and so is the new background…
Dancing in the Light!!
Dancing in delight…
God is always with us..
Thank you.
ryc: Thanks for stopping by and offering the words of encouragement… God definetly showed me something this Sunday, but not how I expected…. see Monday’s post.
I agree with Venezuela5. By choice, look away. That’s what I need to hear:)
arf
As the Spirit leads…
Dearest family and friends in Christ,
Hello my brothers and sisters in Christ! My name is Sam Kim and I am here writing this letter to share with you a wonderful journey that God has called me to this summer. It’s been only 4 years since I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior but at God’s faithfulness and his constant work in my life, I stand speechless lost in words at his unfailing love. For example, this short term mission will be my 5th mission trip! Not to boast in my experiences but humbly I would like to share with you how this mission trip is different from my previous ones and I want to invite you to be a part of this great journey with me.
Last year, when I was in Thailand for short-term summer missions, I felt a strong conviction from God for me to go to China this summer. Though my heart was in Thailand, I just could not resist His calling. Specifically, God did not call me to China to do great things for Him but simply, He wanted me to witness the great things that God is doing in China. You see, I have a great joyous burden in my heart for mission work in the future and I believe that my visit to China will greatly expand my vision. In my previous mission trips, I was simply obeying God’s great commission by seizing all opportunities that God has laid down before me. However, this summer’s mission trip is different simply in that God has directly spoken to my heart to a specific place to do a specific work for Him. Considering this command from God, I am full of joy as I eagerly wait for His plans to unfold! “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6) With a promise like this from God, I could honestly say that I have nothing to fear.
As a senior in University of California San Diego, God has blessed me through an on-campus Christian group KCM (Korean-American Campus Mission) that could not only send me to China for a month but could train me well for missions. The heart and soul of KCM is for the lost souls as they believe in mobilizing God’s people both locally and globally, obeying His word for His glory. Over 100 students from different Southern California Universities will be trained for 3 months and will be sent to China, Russia, Uganda, India, Philippines and Cambodia. Specifically for China, our team of about 20 students will use English Ministry to reach out to people in China. As you know, it is against the law to openly preach about Jesus Christ. Therefore, through English camps and VBS for kids, we are hoping to gain opportunities to have praise consisting of songs, body worship, and the presentation of the Gospel message.
It is true that China is a land of persecution for the Believers. But in Acts 23:11, as Apostle Paul was heading towards a dangerous place in Rome, God declares “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.” God unfailingly demonstrates His divine provision as Paul would eventually explain and declare to leaders of Jews in Rome about the kingdom of God and Jesus from morning till evening as it states later on in Acts 28:23. Amazing! Just as he delivered Apostle Paul through a dangerous place, I believe that god will be with our teams as I find great comfort in this Apostle Paul’s amazing testimony. I believe in God’s promises and His perfect sovereign plan but I also need support. With your prayers, my faith in God will not wither and my heart will be protected from evil things.
Please pray for:
1) Myself – That I may be pure in heart and full of trust in His faithfulness at all times
2) My team – That we may have a servant’s heart towards each other and the people as we work together to further his kingdom.
3) The people in China – That their hearts may be open to the Gospel message.
Also, your financial assistance to help cover the $3200 cost will be used to support my month long stay as well as training expense. Your financial support will allow me to go to China and your prayer support will make us effective there. If you are led to join me in this summer mission program through financial support, please send your support at the latest by June 18, 2006. If you so choose, please do not delay in your response. I am required to raise a minimum of $1600 by May 21, 2006; otherwise I will be dropped from this year’s program. Any support from you will be a huge encouragement and a blessing not only to myself but for my team as well. Thank you!
In His Grace,
Sam Kim
Please make checks payable to:
KCM c/o Sam Kim (China)
12413 East 195th St.
Cerritos, CA 90703
http://www.kcmonline.org
I sincerely apologize for a long comment and I really appreciate you reading this. Thank you~
May God bless you!
Hi Jim
Thanks again for a beautiful and inspiring thought to begin my day.
ryc Sambo7475: I have never heard this saying and I love it! It is definitely worth repeating:
“Don’t tell God how big your storm is, Tell your storm how big your God is!”
ryc: Thank you. Actually, a ‘storm poem’ is how it started. There was a beautiful storm brewing that day and I was aiming to capture it on the page. But as a began to write, the words took on a life of their own and went another dirention. And who am I to argue?
Yes, everyone is home from Youth Extravangaza, they are tired but home and well, that’s what counts…Thanks for your comments, I appreciate your kind words about my writing….I’d take that as a compliment but really give the credit to the Lord….He is my inspiration….I’ll pass your other comment about the pic to my daughter!!
Have a Blessed Day,
Mike
ryc: Jim, you just made my day! Thanks
stand and rise. amen.
no, the cat scans didn’t show anything. shes got some more appointments in the near future, so well see.
on a business trip right now, so my postings and replies may be a bit spotty…. . . .. …
Mmm that is beautiful. And you just wrote it, cuz it’s barely April and I see, the date….April 2006. Do you have a tune to yours when you write? Or do you find a part tune, and work on it later? I bought a guitar and keyboard, hoping to learn to play, but haven’t yet. I get tunes to some of mine, but can’t play them. But remember them.
Songwriting is a beautiful gift to have and share.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
Since I do not have much Christian peers back at home and just knowing that support group for missions is very important, I have decided to seek support from my fellow believers in Christ all across America. I have though offended many of them with a random support letter~
Just to make it clear, I am not a part of cult but am a full believer and a follower of my Lord Jesus Christ.
If I have offended you in any way, I sincerely apologize!
Well, I was truly blessed by your kind response. Thank you very much~
May the Lord bless you~
P.S. I will DEFINATELY be more careful about spreading info about China. I just learned and realized the gravity of sharing info about missionaries in China.
Now that I understand everything behind your poem, it just makes it even more special and I can appreciate it that much more
Isn’t it just so amazing that the creator of the universe LOVES us and desires fellowship with us? Who are WE, that GOD himself would even care about us? He is just so full of grace. This has been a reminder of how awesome He is.
Your site truly is a blessing Jim, I hope you are blessed 100 times fold for it too
I love the new edit, it “completes” it and drives the “invitation” home even more. It’s my prayer that the Lord will continue to speak to us through your poetry. Thank you for sharing it as well as what prompted it, and especially, for being yielded enough to listen to Him. Gerrie
ope everythings okey.. just dropping by to say GOD BLESS! and God always have a way to let us remember HIM specially during the time we are lost…
RYC: Of course it wasn’t you, silly!
It was a teeny-bopper spaminator who had nothing else to do but pass on one of those obnoxious chain letters that take up a whole page or two of space.
Patience, Karen, patience…..
Ha ha, I’m glad you clarified that wasn’t you dancing; saved me the question.
But it would have been interesting to see you dancing that dance in the pic nevertheless. Oh, to be so athletic and agile….
I like the break-through poem. I deal with this issue myeslf. Thanks for sharing.
Heather
Wow, that was wonderful…
Be blessed always, Tamara
RYC, note to self, don’t write posts late at night, thanks for the correction, I really did mean signs not times, sigh.
Heather
I believe, I remember a time, when I heard the whisper of Jesus in my ear. It was before I became an LPN. I was loading trucks at Guys Potatoe Chips. It was when He was first really working on the inside. And I felt too unworthy to get close. I was singing while I was working. Worship songs. And He Jesus was at my elbow, and whispered he loved me. I knew that I knew it was Him.
God is sooooooo good.
Your poem reminds me of a song I once heard sang by a male. I do not remember the song title.. but I can hear the melodies in my head after reading your poem.
You know, when you loose sight of God, he’s the one that always appear just when you think you can’t see him anymore. keep on believing and seeing.
i like your tender sprirituality. that is rare in a dude. i think. my pastor has that.
Re: first LaLeoCafe and Sambo~ I have heard that saying before and its powerful. It reminds me of the song I heard yesterday by Casting Crowns..unsure of the title but in the song is this line “I will praise you in the storm”. I have to get it! And your song and comments remind me of how God does not want us to ‘get ourselves right’ before we worship Him…that is our ‘sacrifice of praise’ when we worship Him despite how we ‘feel’ because it is not about how we feel, but about Him. Praising Him despite our circumstances. Did you know that the man who wrote a hymn ( for the life of me, which hymn escapes me at the moment…but I will find it and let you know) but…his wife and children were travelling across the ocean on a liner to another country…it went down…he went out on a ship afterwards to the area where it went down…and in the midst of his pain and loss…he wrote a hymn…praising God. Truly our souls must find this place of worship despite our own sins…God does not focus on our mistakes but what we will do with them….God Bless you for sharing so openly and I love your song.
The Hymn was “It is Well.” (with my soul.)
God teaches us alot, through our “besetting” sins. He can unbeset even those though. I am glad you can still praise Him, even then.
arf
Good Morning and hope you have a blessed weekend
You deleted my comment, why? I was just coming to thank you for confirming the hymn. Take care.
OOPS. There it be. Sorry. I am very tired:(
The Hymn is “It Is Well With My Soul”, by Horatio Spafford…here’s a link to the story behind the Hymn: http://chi.gospelcom.net/GLIMPSEF/Glimpses/glmps064.shtml
Here are the lyrics:
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
It’s a great one.
blessings…Jim
“By choice look away”..God gives us the possibility to choose..
Your feelings are clear in what you wrote..BEAUTIFUL..Amazingly, beautiful..
Thank you for allowing me to enjoy these beautiful “pearls”.
It’s beautiful to see your love for Him…
Thanks, Jim..
A hug,
lucy
“Praise you in this storm” by Casting Crowns is one of my favorite songs for worship.
I started to post the same link re: Horatio Spafford, lol. I remembered hearing the story when I was a child.
Jim, your honesty and openness are a blessing both to you (allowing healing) and to us (allowing hope for the struggles I face). Thank you again!
Have a wonderful weekend, and keep Praising Him in this storm!!
I was sure by now
That You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say “Amen” and it’s still raining
As the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
“I’m with you”
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
I’ll praise you in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I’ve cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise you in this storm
I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry
You raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can’t find you
I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth
Have a blessed weekend..
a hug,
lucy
My favorite verse of “It is Well” is the last, about Jesus’ return. I live for that day, literally. Gerrie
That last verse is probably in a virtual tie with the third (” My sin, Oh, the bliss…”) for my favorite.
You’re right, the third IS just as good as the third — grace and salvation, how can you separate them? You can’t.
well done! Wellsaid, and a blessing to me! Thank you, and praise Him!
Jennifer Knapp has an awesome version of “It is Well,” that I sort of lived on for a little while. It is sort of hip hoppish, but wow, it is sooo good. And the story of H. Spafford and his family just gives the song a true weight and beauty. thanks Jimmish.
arf