praise his name with dancing

Saturday, January 07, 2012
Saturday before Epiphany

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

1 John 5:14-21 Psalm 149:1-6, 9 John 2:1-11

1 John 5:17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which is not mortal.

Psalm 149:3 Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with timbrel and lyre!

John 2:10 and said to him, "Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now."

Very interesting collection of readings today. I see three traditions that are challenged by these. First, the idea that all sin is the same. Clearly the scripture points out that there is a difference. Some sin leads to death and should not be prayed for. I am not exactly sure which sin(s) these may be, but they obviously exist.

Second, the prohibition of dancing in church. Here again, the scriptures call us to praise Him with dance. Obviously this isn't your run of the mill dirty dancing, but dancing.

Finally, some don't think that we should drink any alchohal. Well, not only did Jesus turn water into wine, but he turned it into the best wine. You wouldn't expect Jesus to do this if he didn't want us to drink it.

Now, I know these things can lead us into trouble if we abuse them. We can become legalistic over certain sins, we can get carried away and our dancing become obscene, and of course we can drink too much and for the wrong reason. But that being said, I think that we need to understand that it is OK to celebrate the Lord's Grace and provision.

So let's celebrate!

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to celebrate your grace and provision and at the same time be sober in use good judgment so as not to destroy our witness, but let us be joyful and offer up our celebration as praise to you.

Amen