LANDING THE TWO-FOOT DANCE

Steve at Maranatha in Michigan

On the Trail with Stephen Bly

Copyright©1993,2010

Miles City, Montana, holds a bucking horse sale every year. Quite a doin’s with rodeo, sale and plenty of celebrations. A stock contractor friend of mine often heads there to check out good horses to buy for his rodeo string. 

Last time I saw him I asked, “How’d you do in Miles City?”

“Well,” he said, “I got there with both feet at the beginning. But things trailed off at the end.”

When a cowboy says he got there ‘with both feet,’ he means he achieved success with his venture. He did the dance. My friend bartered good deals at the auction’s start, but the bidding intensified later.

Life's often a two-foot dance. Getting to the goal with both feet—that’s what most of us want. Whether we’re presenting at a conference, meeting a dinner deadline, courting a romantic interest, or punching cows.

Or about to enter heaven’s gate.

God told Joshua how to land with both feet: “be strong and very courageous,” then he’s promised prosperity and success (Joshua 1:8).

Sure sounds mighty good. Our role is to be strong. To be courageous. Then we’ll succeed. That is, land with both feet.

However, between the exhortation and the promise comes this command: “Do not let this book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it” (Joshua 1:8).

Whoops—a mighty tall order. That requires diligence … to The Book. To read it. To study it. To memorize it. To meditate upon it. To be careful to follow the instructions. Many folks try to skip that part.

Oh sure, everyone wants instant rewards. On earth, as well as in the life beyond. But things like paying close attention to God’s likes and dislikes, big concepts like discipleship … obedience … that  seems too … constricting.

But there’s no sidestep here.

Follow the basic pattern.

Fully enter in. 

Don't stay on the sideline.

A dance-floor necessity.

And crucial to the spiritual two-foot promenade.

Where do you feel most awkward ... on the dance floor or at a Bible trivia contest?

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