Dancing with the Father

“Just a closer walk with thee, grant it Jesus is my plea.”

This is such a simple and beautiful song expressing a sincere sentiment for a closer relationship with our Savior. It’s the cry of a pure heart for a deeper connection with our Heavenly Father through His Son by His Spirit which my heart echoes. I think, however, it doesn’t do enough justice for the level of intimacy possible, that the Father longs to have with us.

When two people walk together they only need to be going the same direction at the same pace. One could be in front of or behind the other or they could simply walk side by side. Their strides need to be roughly the same but their steps don’t necessarily need to be synced. While this type of mutual travel demonstrates a certain level of intimacy, like acquaintances with a common direction, or coworkers with a common goal, or even friends enjoying a common activity together, it lacks the power and profound closeness that true unity can bring. The relationship with the Father that Jesus modeled for us went well beyond a joint journey together.

‘Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.”‘
John 14:8-11

In the past I have compared our relationship with the Father to symbiosis, where two entities work in tandem together for mutual benefit. However, while this simile does show a rather clinical interconnectivity, it lacks the level of intimacy that authentic love brings to this union.

Our relationship or “walk” with God is better compared to a Father-daughter dance. First as a little girl learning the steps standing on her daddy’s feet as they twirl around the floor together and then later at her wedding when she knows all the steps and movements by heart still lead by her Father but moving her feet on her own, dancing in perfect timing with his.

Our relationship with our Abba should be like this. Moving with Him, learning where the light pressure at the small of our back is leading us to move next. Timing our movements to the flow of His motions, to the beat of heaven’s song of salvation. When He moves, we move. When He twirls, we twirl. When He dips, we dip. Like a dance, both cannot lead, nor can the song or its tempo change mid-step. One leads and the other follows. The dance form blossoms most beautifully with our total surrender to His lead. The potential to achieve the most exquisite motions comes from this intimate flow of unity. The two appear as one so perfectly matched, so familiar with one anothers movements. Now, even spontaneous improvisations can do nothing to disrupt the harmony of the dancers and only serves to add more beauty to their exquisite flow.

‘”I and the Father are one.”‘
John 10:30

How I long to dance with my Father in this way! Trust, communication, and surrender are paramount. I need to always keep my Father’s will as preeminent, seeking His direction in all things and trusting His word above all else. Only in this way will I be able to profoundly know Him as Jesus did and as we ought. I want this level of unity and oneness with Him to shine glaringly bright from my life, in stark contrast to the world around me so that people have no other option but to wonder, “why is his life so different?”

I want this type of relationship with God for all of us who call on His Name and for those who don’t yet know Him. This is my desire above all else. Pray with me.

Heavenly Father, I yearn to dance with You, to know You so well that You are closer to me than my own soul. I long for Your steps to become my steps, Your ways to become my ways and Your character to become my own. I surrender myself and all that I could ever hope to be to Your faithful hand. May Your light blaze brightly from my heart like a beacon beckoning those lost in darkness to Your shore. I love you Abba, because You have first loved me. Thank You Daddy, in Your holy Name, the Name of Jesus, amen.