From the YouVersion Bible App Devotional, “Advent, Day 16”

Celebrating When It Doesn’t Make Sense

Joy is an attitude, a resilient cheerfulness anchored in the goodness of God. That means joy is hard to contain. When we experience true joy, people tend to notice.

Reminder: When we think of what it means to show joy, we might think of someone who smiles all the time, laughs often, and has a warm personality. While that might be true for some, you don’t need to be as jolly as Santa, or the person whose story we’ll explore today, to experience true joy.

David grew up as a shepherd, but, through a dramatic sequence of events, ended up becoming king. Now, when you think of a king, a certain image probably comes to mind—a strong, dignified, and imposing presence, probably wearing a big crown and flowing robes. But that’s not how David appears in this story.

In this account, David takes off his kingly clothes and dances with enthusiasm in the streets with the ordinary people. Why? Let’s explore some context.

Early in the Bible, God invited His people to follow His way of life. A life centered on loving God and loving others. Part of this invitation came with a promise—God would be present with them no matter what. This was a strange promise because it wasn’t just for the privileged few, but a promise for all people, from the king down to lowly shepherds.

This connection was symbolized by a few items God called gifted craftsmen to create. One of these items, and probably the most famous, was the Ark of the Covenant.

The Ark symbolized God’s powerful, personal presence in the world and reminded God’s people of His compassionate strength. But at certain points in their history, the Ark had been misused.

On one occasion, God’s people thought they could use the Ark to control or manipulate God into meeting their selfish desires—and God wasn’t pleased. He allowed the Ark to be taken from them to a neighboring nation.

How would you have felt to be a part of God’s people at that time? You might wonder if you’d messed up one too many times and disqualified yourself from God’s love.

But God is merciful, kind, and willing to give unlimited second chances. That’s why God eventually returned the Ark to God’s people with a great parade, and David led the way.

So why did David show so much joyful, undignified enthusiasm? Because this wasn’t just some box. It was a reminder that God is good, even when we’re not. So David worshiped God with song, dance, and generosity. Sure, he might have looked a little foolish in front of the people he ruled, but he didn’t seem to care. His joy was too great to let insecurity get in the way of His worship.

When we think of worship, it’s natural to think about songs at church. Singing is certainly one way we worship, but worship is any action we do that reminds ourselves and others of God’s qualities. So we can worship through music, service, prayer, art, or anything else that reflects God’s goodness.

When we experience joy, we can’t help but worship. It overflows from us as we remember who God is, and who we are.

But it can also work the other way around. If we’re feeling low on joy, worship can help us regain our joyful attitude. When we feel alone, apathetic, or broken, worship reminds us of God’s love, promises, and consistent care.

Pause and Pray:

Lord, thank You for Your commitment to being close. Thank You for always giving us another chance when we turn away. Help me to be as faithful to You as You have been to me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

My Thoughts

When I consider all of the second chances God gives me all the time, it is hard not to be in awe of His great love and mercy and to worship Him. I may not be “feeling it” but sometimes I worship in spite of my feelings and the feelings follow. I am grateful every day to worship a God who sincerely cares for me and wants the best for me even when I am determined to have my own stubborn way.

I can’t dance before the Lord as David did, but I am dancing in my heart even as I pondered the verses this morning that go along with the devotional. Only God is worthy of our worship. He gives us joy and we return that joyful worship to Him!