Staying Focused on the Audience

Scripture: 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." 2 Samuel 6:21-22

Observation: Michal declares her disgust for David by commenting on his display of dancing the day the ark is moved into the City of David. She sarcastically tells him that his display was, effectively, undignified for the king. He was 'half naked' and jumping around, in a manner that even the lowest of the low citizens - the female slaves of the servants - would scoff at.

This then is David's response ... he was dancing for an audience of one. David danced before the Lord, and it is for the Lord's pleasure, honor, and glory that he worshipped. In this, he would do even more, and would behave in even more humiliated ways, if it was to the honor of the Lord. And surely, he points out, if his actions do in fact honor the Lord, then slave girls would hold him in turn in honor indeed.

Application: My actions and behaviors are for God alone, without any concern about how they are received. When I worship, when I read the bible, when I pray ... I do these things for the Lord, and anyone who thinks they are unseemly or undignified is both very wrong and very opposed to God. The only person who matters is God, and those who also love God - the people on earth I truly should want to be around without regard for any other status or position - will completely agree.

Prayer: Lord, today I worship you. May my dancing, my singing, and my celebrating be directed to you alone. You are my audience of one. Amen.