I Want to Dance Naked

Now that I have your attention, I don't really want to "dance naked". So let me explain what I mean by this.

For the past month, I have been reading the bible more than ever. I have made a commitment before God to read through the entire bible in 2 months. Let me tell you, it has been difficult. I stay busy as it is without adding this to my plate. But what a wonderful ride it has been.

Tonight I finished reading Psalms. I tend to stay away from Psalms without realizing it. I think the reason is that I am always, always convicted when I read it (Same reason I try and stay away from Paul Washer audio clips - gets to me every time). David was so passionately in love with God. It seeps out as you read Psalms. It is as though you begin to feel it around you, over you, (and hopefully) in you. In fact, I think I actually felt it breathe on me tonight. The last few chapters make me just want to stand up and praise God because I can just feel David's passionate Love for God as he writes it.

I have had this constant challenge in my life over the past year of trying to figure out how to explain my position on the battle of "grace vs. works". Now, don't misunderstand me - salvation is ONLY by grace through faith in Jesus Christ - that's it. Not a hint of works is involved. BUT...here is where my delemma comes in...our culture here in America has given so little value to seeing a changed life after the "prayer of salvation" (which by the way cannot be found in scripture) that people are running around with "fake hope" tatooed all over them...but they don't know it.

We need to get back to the basics of salvation and understand that WE WILL have change in our lives when we are saved! No question. We need to get back to the understanding that God is not just our savior, but our king, and we are to serve Him with our entire being! No question. Christianity is not about us being blessed, it is about a relationship with Christ. It is not about prosperity but about how we can give of ourselves and see God glorified! It is as if the church has lost the understanding that EVERYTHING is about God being glorified. Even our very salvation is not about us, but about God. Our actions, our passions, our entire lives should reflect this.

So why was it that David was "dancing naked"? Was it because he was so excited he was saved by grace? Was it because he was so happy that he was able to live his life however he wanted because he had "liberty" in Christ? As you read Psalms you can see clearly why...he was passionately in love with the Lord...and His law. So much so, that he forgets about everything else around him and just enjoys himself before the Lord. Now there is much debate over whether he was truly "naked" or not, but I don't really think it matters. The point is this - what is it in my life keeping me from being so passionately in love with the Lord that I am overtaken by it. I want to be that way - desperately. I want my wife to look at me one day in disgust (sorry Vanessa) just like Michal, Davids wife, looked at him because I can no longer contain myself before God. David was CONSUMED...I want to be CONSUMED...

So I realized tonight while reading Psalms that I can know one thing. I may not be able to completely explain like a scholar where I stand on "grace vs. works". I know that once we are saved we should love the law of the Lord because it is His law, but I have decided Psalms 131 is the best answer for this. It reads, "Lord, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty, Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me." I want a passionate, all consuming love for God. That is it. And I want to it be grounded on solid, biblical understanding with a spirit-filled passion for more! And I want those around me to be compelled to live a better life for Christ because of what He is doing in my life...starting with my family, then my friends, then anyone else the Lord puts in my path.