Dance with Me

He reaches for my hand and asks, "Can I have this dance?"

I look down at my dress, all tattered and torn.

I wonder if he's really asking me or someone else?

He doesn't move away, but reaches once again for my hand and asks, "Can I have this dance?"

He must not see me, I think to myself. It's dark in here after all. If he really saw me he would reconsider his offer and ask another. But he comes even closer and looks lovingly into my eyes. I've never seen such tenderness and compassion.

I feel so unworthy of his offer, so dark and ugly, not much to behold.

I look down at my tattered and torn dress and tears begin to flow.

He sees my sadness and walks away, and then I knew I was right - there was no way that he would want to dance with me.

Yet, as I start to walk away feeling once again the sting of rejection burn within me, I see him return with a beautiful white gown in his hands, new and unworn.

He calls out my name and says, "Don't leave, I have something for you."

I look with surprise wondering if this is real - could this be true? He places the gown in my hands and says to me, "This is for you." I scarcely believe what is happening, but I run into a room to quickly change my old dress for the new.

I walk out with a bit more confidence and see him smiling at me. He says, "I saw you before in your old dress and I see you now. You are lovely, even though you may feel dark inside. I love all of you, every part of you and want to make you new. I see deeper than you do and want you to know that I have taken your shame upon Me, and I can make the darkness of your heart light through My love and My blood. I have given My life so that you can know the price I have paid for you. You are not ugly to me, you are not too tattered and torn for me, you are not too broken for me."

"You are lovely and I want you to dance with Me."

Song of Solomon 1:5

"I am dark, but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon."