Jesus is never merely interested in simply having a dance with you, walking you back to your seat when the song ends, and then looking around for another woman to dance the next song with. To dance with you is His deepest joy and and intimate expression of His love for you. He has eyes only for you. This Jesus who walks up to ask for a dance…loves you. He has been watching you all your life and and has been waiting for you to be free from the distraction of other men that he might ask you to have the next dance with him.
On this particular night you have been busy dancing with most of the men who have asked you to dance. They all have their motives for asking. Some find you to be a good dancer and up to their skill level and the two of you would put on a good performance. Others find you attractive and are hoping to seduce you in one way or another. Then there are others who are out to dance with as many women as they can that night and you represent yet another notch in their belt. Their motives are mixed and questionable and so as a result you have learned to be on guard with them all. The number one rule is to avoid eye contact if at all possible.
Jesus walks up to ask you for a dance as you sit waiting between dances. In the darkness of the evening you do not recognize him. Flashing him a quick smile, you accept His invitation. He gently takes your extended hand in His and leads you to the middle of the dance floor. With your left hand resting on His shoulder and your right hand cradle in His left, you cock your head slightly to the side, fix your gaze over His left shoulder and together you both wait for the song to begin. As the music fills the air, dancers are beginning to move all around you, yet Jesus remains standing still. The music has begun, it's time to dance, but He isn’t moving. It is beginning to get embarrassing and so you give him a little nudge hoping He will pick up your subtle clue that it is now time to dance. Still He remains standing motionless as He holds you. Finally, you are forced to look to His face to found how why He is not moving out with the lead.
You break your posture to quickly flash a glance into His eyes and then look back over His shoulder. The deep love you saw within those eyes catches you off guard. He was gazing at you! In that instant, those eyes sang a thousand love songs to you. Strange, but in your brief glance He seemed to see right through you and know all about you. Every detail of your life seemed exposed. Yet, you felt no fear, no shame, no guilt. Like a knife, His compassionate eyes pierced your heart exposing all of its hurts, fears, faults, bitterness and rejection.. yet without judgment. How absurd to be found so vulnerable and yet feel so safe, so embraced, so loved.
You had quickly looked into the beauty of His eyes, and the promise of sweet intimacy with Him. Now you are dumbfound as you try to sort out what just happened. You came to dance, He came to love. You expected His first lead would move your body, whereas He stands waiting for your permission to move your heart. The dance He is calling you to springs out of intimacy with Him, whereas the dance you danced with all the other men sprung out of how well you danced, followed, and satisfied them. Jesus seems already satisfied with you.
In an instant He has stripped you all your gifts and talents for they count for nothing to Him until He first has your love. He isn’t checking you out. He has made up His mind. You are not just another woman that He is having just another dance with. You are His only dance. He has no plans nor thought of another. You are not merely a body through which He can express His will. He is your Lover and He seeks to embrace you body, soul and spirit.
So His first move is to wait until you seek His face, receive His love, and open your heart to Him. This is the beginning of the dance and He is not moving until you first seek His face. The music may play, the dancers may dance, but He stands waiting for you, yes you, only you, to seek His face.
He will not begin the dance until you first seek His face.