"Close your eyes."
"What??!!!!" Yet again I faltered and broke the smooth pattern of a rock-step by charging forward into a triple.
"Close your eyes."
"Why? I'm having a hard time guessing where you're going as it is."
"That's what's tripping you up. Close your eyes and just feel my leading throught the pressure on your back and the movement of my hand."
I closed my eyes and felt complete helplessness engulf me. Here I was, in the middle of a dance floor with few other dancers and many more observers. I was already self-consious about my lack of dance knowledge, and fearful of looking like a complete idiot.
"Now just relax and listen to my leading."
Relax. Right . . . he makes it sound so simple. Then it hit me: Anne, he knows what he's doing, he knows how to lead. You can trust him.
Off we went. Triple-step rock-step. Triple-step rock-step. Then a throw-out and spin. I suddenly found myself alone on the dance floor . . . no pressure on my back, no hand holding mine.
"Shane, I don't know where you are." What was I supposed to be doing? Uncertainty gripped my again and I was about to open my eyes. . .
"I won't throw you out and leave you there. I'll always bring you back in."
He caught my hand. Another underarm spin and we were back in closed position. Triple-step rock-step. Triple-step rock-step. I fully relaxed and just let my feet go wherever my body was guided . . . my eyes closed the entire time.
It felt natural. We were moving together - in unison. Our footwork was different but complementary--we had different rolls to fill. The moment I tried to guess what he was doing or where he was going . . . it threw our dancing out of joint. Only when I closed my eyes, stopped guessing, and completely relaxed into Shane's guiding arms did we move fluidly as a single unit.
How much more with our God? He is the lead dance partner. . . . we are to follow. He knows the steps of our lives and how He wants to guide us there. How many times have I said: "Oh, I know where you're leading me. . . "? It's not that I don't trust Him, it's that I think I know based off past experience, and I start moving that way.
In swing dancing, there are certain moves that precede a transition to a different step. However, the same signal can be used for any number of different steps. A rock-step (for example) could lead to another triple-step set, or to the triple-step stomp-stomp of an eight-step set. It all depends on the man's intentions. The woman needs not to question or guess where the man is going. She simply allows him to guide her body into the position he wants. Is she an active participant in the dance? Absolutely. The woman's active role is one of trust. She trusts that her partner will not place her in a position where they will collide. Her's is not the place to question: why? where? how? She is to trust and rest.
It is no different than our role with God. Are we to be blind, dumb sheep that go wherever? No. We are called to seek Him and know Him so that we will recognize His will and calling. We are to know His character so we can discern His voice amidst the calls of the world and our own sinful flesh. But many times we need to close our eyes and simply rest and trust--not guess. Only then can we move fluidly in His will . . . knowing that He will never "throw us out" and leave us out there.
He is growing and developing our dependence on Him in order to bring glory to His name. Just as a well executed dance is beautiful to watch, so is the life of one joyfully resting in humble reliance on Him.
As the song ended and Shane and I left the dance floor, several observers remarked: "Wow! You two looked great out there!" I didn't know what I was doing, and I never saw any of it, but as long as my partner could lead knowing he had my complete trust . . . that's all that was necessary.
