…So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.
As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.
2 Samuel 6:12-16
During 2026, Peachtree Church is inviting everyone into Cultivate, a churchwide discipleship plan centered on the fruit of the Spirit and the kind of life God longs to grow in us. Throughout the year, we’ll explore how love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control take shape in everyday life through the Spirit’s work. Cultivate brings together worship, Scripture, group guides, and meaningful practices designed to meet you where you are and support growth in ways that fit your season. These twice-weekly devotionals are one way to stay connected, offering reflection and grounding for daily life with God. Whether you engage in many ways or just one, you’re invited to be part of this shared journey of becoming more rooted in who God has created and called you to be.
Devotional
We all have those moments from childhood that stand out in our minds, and they often have a lasting impact on how we think about certain activities. Where dancing is concerned, I remember being in fourth grade when we were at the conclusion of a PE unit on square dancing, and as the final part of that unit, the whole fourth grade had a square dance in one of the school parking lots. As my partner and I were in the midst of one of the steps, another boy in the class turned and punched me in the stomach, and ever since then, I’ve had a bad taste in my mouth about letting myself go when I’m dancing, as I become incredibly self-conscious when thinking back to that singular bad experience.
King David didn’t suffer from the same problem that I did (or fall into the stereotype of the Presbyterians as the Frozen Chosen), but rather, in his worship of the Lord, he let himself go. As David progressed from the site where the Ark of the Covenant had been for the prior three months, he danced with all of his might, showing a deep devotion to ensuring that all of his being went into his worship. It was a moment in Israel’s history that was remarkable for many reasons.
Most remarkable was the fact that the king, who was supposed to exemplify a stately and dignified manner was dancing, and while he was dressed in a linen ephod which was a type of clothing that would have been reminiscent of the garments worn by the priests (Exodus 28:6-14 describe the priestly variant in great detail), in order to dance, he would have needed to hike up the hem of his robe and expose his legs to all of those gathered to worship. But David didn’t care what anyone thought, even his first wife, Michal, who was King Saul’s daughter. She sees her husband acting in a way that she has deemed undignified. Rather, the King of Israel cared only for providing the most heartfelt worship that he could before God.
For Reflection
- What causes you to be self-conscious when you worship God?
- When has there been a time that you have felt as though your worship was the most heartfelt?
Prayer
Lord, you know us each in ways that we cannot even begin to understand. You know our insecurities and our fears. You know the places that we struggle to fully open before you, and still you call us to worship you with gladness and singleness of heart. Shape our hearts and minds that we might come before you with joyful hearts and worship you even as David did.
In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.
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Devotionals