DANCING WITH JOY

(Recipe: Caramel-Pecan

Cheesecake Pie)

This past week was DVBS at our church (Daily Vacation Bible School). I had the privilege of teaching 26 moms during the week. We discussed such topics as: Deep Love; Deep Faith; Deep Humility; Deep Compassion and Deep Worship. On our final day as we discussed worship, I was drawn to a verse of Scripture from Psalm 90 verse 14 which says (I quote from The Message)….”Surprise us with love at daybreak; then we’ll skip and dance all the day long.”

Isn’t this what worship should be like. God pouring out his many “surprises” on us, and as we encounter each one of them we can “skip and dance all day long” as we think about and worship our Awesome God. I was reminded of two other people in Scripture who worshiped God through dancing.

In Exodus 14 we have the story of the crossing of the Red Sea. Verse 31 says, “And when the Israelites saw the great power the Lord displayed against the Egyptains, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.” Exodus 15:1 begins, “Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord.” The people start to sing to the Lord regarding the many “surprises” God brought to them as they escaped the hand of the Egyptains. Exodus 15:20-21 concludes with these words, “Then Miriam the prophetress, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing. Miriam sang to them: Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea.” Can you sense their enthusiasm as they danced for joy before the Lord because of all God had done for them?

2 Samuel 6 is the story of the Ark being brought back to Jerusalem. David was responsible for seeing that this was accomplished however there was a period of time when David thought this task might be utterly impossible. In fact in verse 9 David says, “…..How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” Surprise! God does allow the ark to return for we read in verse 12b-13 “……So David went down and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.” Then David does something a bit unusual for a king. Verse 14-15 says, “David, wearing a line ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.” It was not beneath David to dance before the Lord because of God's blessings.

With each new day look around and see the wonderful surprises God has just for you: a beautiful sunrise or sunset; a rainbow; a thank-you; an unexpected compliment – then give God praise for his wonderful "surprise" as you "skip and dance" through the rest of your day.

Caramel-Pecan Cheesecake Pie

1 8-oz. cream cheese, softened

½ cup sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches)

1-1/4 cups chopped pecans

1 cup caramel ice cream topping

In small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, 1 egg and vanilla until smooth. Spread into pastry shell; sprinkle with pecans.

In small bowl, whisk remaining eggs; gradually whisk in caramel topping until blended. Pour over pecans.

Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned (loosely cover with foil after 20 minutes if pie browns too quickly). Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight before slicing. Refrigerate leftovers.