Stressed OutSample

The ark of the covenant had been captured by the Philistines and then returned to the house of an Israelite. But it wasn’t home, and David wanted it to be. After attempting to bring home the ark without treating it in a holy way, David tried again. He led a joyful parade of shouts and trumpeting. Scripture tells us: Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might (2 Samuel 6:14). The king of Israel was parading through the streets, dancing with everything he had in him. His wife was not okay with it, and when he got home, she scolded him. He responded: “It was before the Lord . . . I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes” (2 Samuel 6:21-22).

A good chunk of his kingdom was out to watch the ark come home, and the king did not care about their opinions of him or his behavior. David wasn’t concerned with how he looked to everyone watching because he was dancing for an audience of one. “It was before the Lord," he said. God’s opinion of him was the only one that mattered to him.

Lord, please give us hearts like David’s, so that Your approval and joy are our only motivation.