Come on and Dance

Scripture Reference:  1Samuel 4-6, 2 Samuel 6

A lesson in worship.

Cast:

            TURQ – an energetic little monster from the hills

            MR. JUSTIN – the teacher who sets him straight

Props:

            none

(After Shackles, the second to last song, TURQ enters laughing.)

TURQ:  Hooo-weee!  You look like bunch of barefoot jackrabbits on hot ce-ment.

MR. JUSTIN:  Oh, hi, Turq.  You're interrupting our praise.

TURQ:  It that what they was doin'?

MR. JUSTIN:  That's what we were doing.

TURQ:  But why was y'all jiggling around like that?  When I praise, I just move my lips.  (opens and closes mouth without making any sound)

MR. JUSTIN:  Praising God is more than just moving your lips.  It's thanking God for being out Provider.  It's thanking Him with your whole heart.

TURQ:  Yeah, but that's kinda embarrassin'.  I mean, I don't cotton to singin' in front of people.  What if they hear my voice?

MR. JUSTIN:  But you're not supposed to be singing to any of these people.

TURQ:  (stage whisper) There ain't no one else here.

MR. JUSTIN:  You're supposed to be singing to God.

TURQ:  Oh, yeah.  But singin' and hoppin' about is kinda… girly.

MR. JUSTIN:  What about a football player who dances in the end zone after a touchdown?  Would you call them girly?

TURQ:  Not to their faces.  But that there's football.  You're supposed to be quiet and dignified in church, ain't ya?

MR. JUSTIN:  Yes, there are times when you need to be quiet.  We don't want people dancing around while Pastor John is preaching, but there are times when we celebrate God.

TURQ:  Yeah, but…

MR. JUSTIN:  What if told you that I know a famous warrior who danced for God?

TURQ:  Who?!?

MR. JUSTIN:  David.

TURQ:  David who?

MR. JUSTIN:  King David, the fellow we've been studying.

TURQ:  Oh!  That'n.

MR. JUSTIN:  Yes, that one.  Seems the Philistines had captured the Ark of the Covenant and placed it in a tent with an idol, a statue of their fish-god Dagon.  When they came in the next morning, Dagon was lying on the ground.

TURQ:  I guess their idol was bein' idle.

MR. JUSTIN:  They put it back, but the next morning, it was on the ground again with its arms and legs broken off.

TURQ:  I reckon that cost it an arm and a leg.

MR. JUSTIN:  Right.

TURQ:  Dagon had been dis-armed.

MR. JUSTIN:  Yeah.

TURQ:  I guess he didn't have a leg to stand on.

MR. JUSTIN:  Any more?

TURQ:  Jes one more:  Did anyone give him a leg up?

MR. JUSTIN:  Are you done now?

TURQ:  I reckon I am.

MR. JUSTIN:  Are you sure?

TURQ:  I don't chew my cabbage twice.

MR. JUSTIN:  So the Philistines sent word to David to come and get the Ark because Israel's God was too powerful for Dagon.

TURQ:  That ain't sayin' much, since Dagon was jes a rock.

MR. JUSTIN:  David let thirty thousand men to get the Ark.  They danced and sang and played instruments all the way back.  David took off his kingly robes, so he could celebrate with everyone else.

TURQ:  You mean he was neked?!?

MR. JUSTIN:  No, he was dressed like everyone else because he wanted to be just part of the parade.  It was about God, not him.

TURQ:  I reckon the folks loved that.

MR. JUSTIN:  Well, not everyone.  His wife Michal thought it was vulgar and undignified.  Because of her attitude, God cursed her.

TURQ:  Well, I don’t cotton to God cursin' me, so I'll stop pokin' fun at y'all for wigglin' about like that.

MR. JUSTIN:  David, on the other hand, humbled himself.  He didn't praise God to impress anyone or to show how spiritual he was.  He wanted to celebrate God's provision.  2 Samuel 6:14 says that David "danced before the Lord with all of his might."

TURQ:  And the Bible sez that David was a man after God's own heart.  I reckon this is part of the reason why.

MR. JUSTIN:  You got it, Turq.

TURQ:  I reckon if David can do it, so can I.  Let's praise God!

 (The last song, Get Down, starts and TURQ joins in.)

TURQ:  (gradually lowers from the stage, voice fading)  ♫ Get down, get down, get down… ♫

(MR. JUSTIN starts prayer requests.)