There Is No Fear In Love
Beloved, remember how I have wooed you…how I have called you so many times and what I have said to you, “Dance and let Me do the rest while you simply become obedient to the whispers I speak in your ear.”
You are to never, never try and dance the dance someone else is meant to experience. Only I know their steps and only I know yours. I may however at times tell you to observe and learn. This is good. But to dance their dance…Never! You are one of a kind and are called to uniqueness in Me.
Now to the practical and yes, visionary side of dancing with Me. Imagine you are the only one in a dance class. See yourself intently listening to the instructor as you are captivated by his every move. Each movement is being indelibly imprinted into your heart and spirit as your senses escalate with anticipation and excitement. Fear and anticipation compete for your attention but you overcome. And why? Because there is no fear in love (1 John4:18)
Your anticipation overrules your fear and the longing of your heart to move with such grace overwhelms you…pulling…drawing…ahh…yes…how beautiful…how handsome you are My beloved sons and daughters. The crescendo of Heaven is mounting…growing and My sounds are being released for you to hear. Come close…come near…listen ever so carefully…sound is here…the opus of your life is here. Prepare yourself and let go of all offenses…all pain…all unforgiveness and come. My sound is near and My hand is outstretched to pull you into My heart…into My embrace (Psalms 118:16; Psalms 123:2)
Today is your day to embrace grace in a whole new way. I give you grace to dance the dance I have chosen for you.
Baby Steps And Butterflies
Beloved, it is time to dance—time to dance in step with Me and go where I go without fear. In this place with Me it doesn’t matter what others think or say about how you dance…for to be hidden in My heart brings freedom.
It is time to use your imagination for the moment of experience is upon you this very hour…this very moment. I am drawing you from your chair…from your place of conformability or conformity and taking you into a place where you have confidence in the one demonstrating such beautiful and intricate steps…a place where your heart has wings to fly.
Have faith! I will lead. All you have to do is follow. Look to My hand as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress…let your eyes look to Me and you will not miss My outstretched hand (Psalm 123:2)
Stretch yourself and imagine watching while a dance instructor demonstrates intricate and beautiful steps set to music selected just for you and you alone. Butterflies flutter in your stomach as you watch the demonstration and longing in your heart crescendos with the rise and fall of each note as it woos and pierces your heart. You want to believe you can. You see yourself dancing and wonder what He will say.
Has he ever been unkind or harsh? No. This gives you courage. I give you courage. I give you courage and strength to rise up on feet with wings and a heart that soars above all negative things experienced in your life (Isaiah 40:31).
It is from the lofty place within the covering of My wings where one can have a true perspective…where one can have My perspective…about one’s own self and about others. Take baby steps and soon you will not flutter like a butterfly but you will instead fly with Me on the wings of My Spirit…you will be covered by the overshadowing of My wings…to fly and be covered all at the same time (Psalms 91:4).
Master Of The Dance
Beloved, as you learn to dance and you feel butterflies flutter, you know you must at some time arise from your observant position at the instructor’s invitation and you have chosen to do so.
Continue to imagine the dance and see yourself as you arise and move into the instructors embrace and unintentionally step on his feet. Your embarrassment is met with an undisturbed composure as he continues to count steps, all the while guiding you with patience. He remembers what it is like to learn obedience…what is to listen and hear his own Master’s voice when he was learning to dance.
Like Me, the instructor sees your effort and rewards you with words of praise and gentle instruction. His confidence in you allows you to give way to the beauty of the music and move your whole being in sync with the ‘Master of the Dance.’
Perfect splendor and grace transform your butterflies into an elated dance of grace and peace. You have overcome…no longer counting steps. Instead, you are moving in harmony to melodious music as you are stirred to the very depths of your soul with all encompassing delight. This is the epitome of hearing My voice…the voice of your Good Shepherd (John:10:27).
What a beautiful picture…what an extraordinary love…what an exceptional grace…that only I can give. It is waiting for you as you place your hand in the palm of My hand to arise and dance with Me. O’ to dance on the circumstances of life all the while finding incredible joy. This is how it is meant to be. Won’t you join Me and be amazed? Come and hear My voice full of joy unspeakable (Jude 1:24).
Arise, Love Awaits You
Beloved, this is a complex yet very simple picture of the next step of our communion together. I do far above what even the most patient instructor would ever be capable of doing. I have so much grace…grace…grace….yes, so much grace.
The unity—the dance born of an ear ever so close to My heart responding to each and every beat, like the counting of steps, is calling, “Arise. Arise and be not concerned. Love waits. Grace waits. ”
Yes, now is the time to come and join with Me in the waltz of purpose, destiny and a deeper relationship than you have ever imagined. You may step on My feet, miss a count or two; however, this is no deterrent to Me.
You are safe and secure in My arms. In My arms all condemnation, guilt and shame melt away…in fact they flee for as I have told you, “My perfect love casts out fear.” If you are experiencing fear then My love has not been perfected in that area. Find out what I say in My Word and apply it, confess it, speak it out loud for opposing forces to hear and see what I do.
Yes, we will dance awhile, and then, I will pull your ear to My heart to impart a deeper level of wisdom filled instruction as I delight in the confessions of your innermost thoughts. Everything you think or feel is of vital importance and warrants My loving response. I delight in even the smallest of thoughts toward Me.
Remember, don’t worry and don’t hurry, for there will be many times of rest to enable the words I speak to you to have their full work in your heart (Philippians 1:6). This is the way it should be…coming in and going out with all in perfect balance according to the leading of My voice.
Embrace The Words Of My Singing Heart
Beloved when you have been dancing with Me and have experienced a time of intent discovery which gives way to a time of mediation and reflection it is OK to rest awhile. After you have rested you will again arise and dance with Me, having abandoned unwarranted fears and doubts. Dissipating fear equals less mistakes and more confidence in the ‘Lord of the Dance.’ This is a course of action we will do over and over.
Give yourself permission to enter the process without condemnation. There is no such thing as failure with Me, only course correction. Remember this, as I hung on the Cross the invitation to dance was extended and you accepted; therefore, I have counted you worthy, My chosen one. My heart thrills at all prospects—at all the results we will accomplish together.
Arise, My Beloved, and dance with Me as I guide your every step and teach you many new things throughout your life. The more you hear, listen and respond, the greater impact there will be on your faith. Increased faith makes it easier to glide across the dance floor of life; thereby, flowing in an intimate relationship of purpose and destiny.
The cycle of listening, hearing, receiving, and giving for both of us will create a dance of flawless movement. So, come and once again place your ear on My speaking heart. Embrace its words of love, instruction and wisdom. They elevate you to the place of victory. My hand is extended. Come and dance “The Dance of the Bride and Bridegroom” with Me.
Prayer
Lord, I so desire for my heart and my soul to receive such a gift from You…such a sound from Heaven. I long for Your love to swell in my heart like an open gate and pour out of my being with rivers of living water. I know I have had questions that seem to have no real practical answers sometimes. I know all things cannot be grasped with the mind but must be absorbed by the spirit within me. Some of Your Word today seems too grand and I can’t wrap my mind around the simplicity of relationship with You. Teach me to glory in the simple ways…in the simple things.
May I ever keep my eyes focused on You Lord and learn to dance the dance You have chosen for me…one intricately designed to fit my personality…to fit who you designed me to be. I receive courage from you and ask you to embolden me as I have never been emboldened before. Let me feel the brush of Your wings as You cover me…as You fly with me.
I need not fear. In fact, I release all fear of what You might think…all fear of what others might think. After all, You already know everything I have done or will do and still love me…still want to dance with me. How amazing You are.
May the butterflies in my stomach become wings with which to fly…wings to fly to heights I have never known before…wings with which to move with such graceful motion in my dance with You. May I become so accustomed to moving in sync with You that my steps become well timed like the notes of a great opus. I dare to put my hand in the palm of Your hand where my name is carved…where the steps to my dance with You reside.
I let go of all fear and allow Your perfect love to penetrate my heart. This way no fear can abide in or near me. I rest myself in Your love and listen with my heart to the beating of Your heart. Let the Word have its perfect work in me and patient love will abound toward you, toward others and toward myself. Most of all teach me when to rest and when to dance…when to fly and when to settle down in the nest of Your presence that I might be filled.
Lord, all I can say…all I can sing…is grace…grace…grace…beautiful grace. I embrace Your goodness—Your kindness to me. I cloak myself in Your patience love and enduring grace. I wrap myself in the communion of Your heart. I hide in the communion of Your secret place. And I dance…yes I dance on the lofty heights of Your Word of Truth which has power to change and make whole. Purpose and destiny are lived out one moment…one breath at a time. Each step I take with You is a piece of destiny as it unfolds before my very eyes.
Teach me to learn when to arise and dance…when to rest and meditate…when to just behold You…to gaze upon Your beauty. Help me to embrace the process and see it as a dance. After all, dancing is way more fun than process. Process is simply process; dancing however, is beautiful and pleasant to see and hear when set to the music of Your heart.
I arise my Bridegroom to dance this dance with You as You bid me come. I acknowledge in spite of all I may see or feel that I am Your chosen one…the fairest of ten-thousand. Step by step my fears are dissipating and faith is growing in my heart until if overflows into the streets of my life. I listen. I hear. I receive and I give. I rest my head on Your speaking heart to dance “The Dance of the Bride and Bridegroom” with you
Reflect and Journal
There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection]. (1 John 4:18 Amplified)
- A move of overt grace, passion and beauty is emerging on the scene of Your life and heart…in your dance with Him. Reflect on His arrival in such a victorious way. What do you think, feel or sense He wishes you to dance to first?
- Reflect on how perfect love casts out fear.
- Have you so admired the dance…the life of another that you find yourself in a place of comparison which causes you to see yourself as less than adequate?
- Ponder the words, “Dance and let Me do the rest while you are obedient to what I say” and how it relates to your present needs and what He is asking you to do in relation to them.
- Reflect on where you need the most courage…is it courage to overcome apathy or complacency…courage to believe the Lord wants to use you as much as anyone else He has or ever will use…courage to take a risk and follow a dream…you fill in the blank_______________________?
- What does being hidden in His heart mean to you and how does it bring freedom in all areas of life, especially when it comes to the words and actions of others.
- Reflect on comparing the natural aspect of dancing with an instructor and dancing with the Lord through the trials and joys of life. What personal applications can you draw from this analogy?
- Envision the Lord’s extraordinary love…His exceptional grace and see your hand resting in the palm of His hand. Ask Him what is written there that He wants to share with you today. What butterflies of hope does He wish to release to enable you to dance His dance of grace?
- In what ways have you felt like you have stepped on His feet, so to speak, and how has it affected your passion to pursue all He has called you to be and do?
- What has the enemy been using against you to bring condemnation, guilt and shame? Take it out from where it is hidden and place it in the light of His glory in order to disarm the enemy and set you free to move forward.
- Have you been in a hurry, forgetting to rest when needed? Why do you think resting in order to receive is so hard? Do you need to meditate on what He has said and then press back into His heart to dance once more? Maybe He wants you to have some down time.
- What do you see when you envision Him? Do you see grace…grace and more grace, or do you see what you want to see…what the evil one chooses to say about you or the Lord for that matter?
- Reflect on dancing awhile and then resting awhile. Do you have a hard time resting because you feel you should always be doing (dancing)? Take time to reflect on anything Holy Spirit spoke to you as you read this.
- Reflect on the cycle of listening, hearing, receiving and then giving. Sometimes we try and give without doing the other aspects. If we treat each aspect of the cycle like well-timed notes meant to respond to, then our dance will be a beautiful example of grace.
Wow this is truly encouraging….just what I needed to hear…
Thank You
Elaine