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Neither Marching nor Dancing

The good news is that Christ frees us from the need to obnoxiously focus on our goodness, our commitment, and our correctness… Jesus invited us to a dance… —Steve Brown

There’s white space in Paul’s letter to the Galatians, where we can get stuck.

Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh. May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Galatians 6:13- 14, emphasis mine)

Look at the little section in bold in that verse. Look right after the period and before the M. See that speck of white on the page? That’s our white space. Before this white space, Paul speaks of marching. After, Paul speaks of dancing.

So the question is: Are you living pre-, post-, or mid-white space?

  • Marchers boast of their own strength and external appearances.
  • Dancers boast in the strength of the cross.

It’s that simple. Are you trying hard to make yourself a better Christian? Do you tally your quiet times? Do you volunteer but complain? Do you reluctantly write checks? This is marching, friends. This is pre-white space.

Or…

Are you resting in Christ, allowing Him to shape you as He wishes? Are you soaking up intimate time with Jesus, wishing for more? Do you find yourself drawn toward hurting people? Do you find great joy in giving generously as the Spirit leads? Do you naturally share the reality of Christ within you through your actions and words? Have you released comfortable life in exchange for God’s adventure? These are some ways of dancing, friends.

And then there is the white space.

In the white space, a transformed person affects nothing. The white-space dweller lives a self-consumed faith. No one is served. No love is shared. No stories of the cross are told.

If you’re living in the white space, it’s just you and Jesus. You aren’t marching, but you aren’t dancing… yet.

Jesus, I’m free, but in many ways I’m stuck in the white space. I hear Your invitation. Give me the courage to boast in Your dance, even if I stumble in the steps at first. Show me today, Lord, just one more step to take in Your Spirit. Just one more step at a time. Amen.

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