Dancing Partners

This morning at work, during the intercession time, we were given the illustration that our prayer times are a bit like dancing with a partner. When you first learn you're wooden and give up easily. With practise, things become easier.

When we watch an experienced dancing partnership, we see fluidity of movement and beauty as the pair move in a seemingly effortless way across the dance floor. Others can join them on the dance floor yet although each pair is moving independently of the others, there is no major collision, no bumping and pushing, but again, a seemingly effortless and beautiful movement of bodies.

Our prayer times were described as a dance with the Holy Spirit as our partner. At first it's a new relationship, one which we need to work on. With time and patience we can improve our dancing. The Holy Spirit is a tireless partner, eager to help us learn new things. When we come together with others to pray, it can become like a crowded dance floor where all are dancing to the same tune, all are moving beautifully together, yet independently.

I found the description enlightening and it somehow released me to pray with less fear of what the others around me would think. So often I can be nervous of praying in company. I worry I will fall over my words, stumble around and just generally make a fool of myself. I even sometimes worry that what I say may almost be taken wrongly and it will be theoretically incorrect!!!

Our times of prayer and intercession are times of partnership with the Holy Spirit. Its a time when together we can communicate with our creator. He's not a dance judge, He doesn't condemn us if with pray clumsily. He only cares that we communicate with Him to show our love, our concern, our fears etc.

Dancing alone or dancing with a crowd, prayer is a time for us to express ourselves. We won't crash and destroy the evening for we are dancing with the perfect partner, the Holy Spirit. If we allow Him to guide us and to help us, our times together will become ever more beautiful.