V 5 David and all the people of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, singing songsand playing all kinds of musical instruments—lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.
This was to be a hugely important day. The Ark had accompanied the Israelites through the desert and into the Promised Land, and now it was going to be brought into the city of David as he established Jerusalem as his capital. What a worship band David assembled for the occasion – and David himself led the way.
Some celebration it was too, with David upfront dancing with all his might. (v 14). His wife, Michal, thought it was all thoroughly undignified and not a Kingly thing to do (v 16); David in reply was totally unabashed however; ‘I was dancing before the Lord, who chose me above your father and all his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the Lord, so I celebrate before the Lord. Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this,’ (v 21)
How totally sombre and refined is most of our 21st Century worship in comparison. I don’t see a lot of dancing and unrestrained thanksgiving in church life today. (After all, we are British aren’t we, we don’t do stuff like that!)
But you see, David was not just a theoretical musician; he saw his music and his leadership in the band as part of his worship offering.
Now, I don’t know what your creative gift is; music, painting, woodwork, sewing, gardening, cooking, writing ….. the question is whether you do it with all your might (enthusiasm) as part of your worship offering to God. It is not just a hobby, or one of your eccentricities, or even only to be done in private. Creativity is part of our spiritual being, it is something to be incorporated into our public worship of God – for His glory.