CW Blog Chain - "Leap"

One of my favorite images in the Bible of leaping is when David danced before the Ark of the Covenant. David praised God continuously, and he wrote many of the Psalms. The Psalms are full of praise – why do you think David was a man after God’s own heart?  There was hardly another man with more of the power of God in his life than David. 

Then David danced before the Lord with all his might, clad in a linen ephad.  So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet. (2 Samuel 6:15)
And though so many of God’s people joined in the celebration and blessing, one person disapproved: his wife Michal.
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. (2 Samuel 6:16)
Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal, the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!”
So David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel.  Therefore I will play music before the Lord.  And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor.” (2 Samuel  6:21-22)
There’s a praise song that shows David’s response called “Undignified.”  But this is the kind of Praise that God is looking for.  He wants us to be so free in our love for Him that we would be willing to look undignified.  And although all of Israel was blessed by David’s praising and shouting, Michal died barren.  Whether that’s because David refused to touch her or if God closed her womb, who knows?
I don’t know if you can tell how excited I am about this, but here’s another big revelation of Praise’s power:
So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets.  And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat.  Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. (Joshua 6:20)
Trumpets blowing, God’s people shouting = praising!   And what kind of power was held in that praise?  The power to tear down walls!  Aren’t there walls in your life that need tearing down?  The walls of depression, fear, or addiction can overwhelm you.  All of them can be torn down when God’s people give every portion of our personal trinity the attention it deserves. 
When we trust God, listen to Him, and praise Him, change occurs within us naturally.  He promised that He came so that we could live in abundance and does not want us to lead a life of self-condemnation.  Have you ever listened to worship music, and wished you could have that kind of relationship with God? Well I am telling you that you can!  Let Him defeat the condemnation in your life, too.
Praise is a faith catalyst.  It activates our faith and causes us to be tuned into God through our mind and emotions, reaching down to our very soul.  That’s why I believe that praise is an important part of gaining the power in our lives to change.
So how about you?  Are you willing to leap and praise before the Lord?

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