Dancin’ Merrily
“Everyone dancin’ merrily, in the new old-fashioned way!” What is the new old-fashioned way of dancing that Brenda Lee sings about in the hit song, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree?” At the time of the song’s recording, rock and roll was an emerging genre in the music world, and many old-fashioned culture protectors looked down upon the youths for bucking tradition with their shamelessly rambunctious music and dance. Lee’s song brilliantly blends Christmas tradition with contemporary culture, both new and old-fashioned, by envisioning a sentimental Christmas celebration featuring dancing that resembles a sock hop.
In attempts to describe the interrelationship between the three persons of the Trinity, church fathers, and theologians following, have used the metaphor of dance. As They work, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each move about distinctively, but always instep with each other. As each weave in and out, circling and spinning around each other in perfect rhythm and symmetry, it becomes nearly impossible to distinguish the boundaries between the Three. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct in personhood but one in essence.
Through His incarnation, Jesus extends His hand to us in invitation to partake with Him in this divine dance, creating a new spin within the old-fashioned, heavenly waltz. This invitation is expressed in Zechariah’s prophecy over his son, John, “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways…” (Luke 1:76). God often expressed to prophets that He would go before them to prepare a way, but here the script is flipped. The prophet prepares the way for the Lord. Lord before prophet. Prophet before Lord. A backand-forth dance that brings the light of salvation to those sitting in darkness (Luke 1:79).
This Advent, as we celebrate the coming of our Lord and anticipate His returning, let us not wait for Him while standing still. Instead, let us join in the work of God and dance merrily with Him. Let us prepare the way for our Lord as we proclaim the knowledge of salvation to all people through the forgiveness of sins (Luke 1:77).
Tyler Ballard, Tallowood Minister to Students
