Which is why I was surprised to hear that dance beat with Jordan Feliz’s new song “Next to Me.” The lyrics are all about being out of sync with God, the struggle of wanting to be in control of his own life. But after thinking about it … well … I was reminded of another dance party … years ago.
The Ark of the Covenant was the physical reminder to the Israelites that God was there with them, and the place where God would meet them. It housed three items: the Ten Commandments, a golden pot of manna, and Aaron’s rod that blossomed. After Moses’s death, the Ark was located in Gilgal, then moved to Shiloh for 400 years because of the Israelites massive disobedience. It then fell into the hands of the Philistines, who promptly gave it back when they were plagued by plagues. Then it went to Kiriath-jearim.
But when David was anointed king, he wanted it back in Jerusalem. In his haste, he did not follow God’s instructions for transporting the Ark and a man’s life was lost and David’s plans were put on hold. But finally, David was able to bring the Ark to Jerusalem. So excited was he to have the object that demonstrated God’s faithfulness and very presence so close to him that David “danced before the Lord with all his might” (2 Samuel 6:14).
So it is no wonder that Jordan Feliz chose dance music for this particular piece because though the song confesses his struggles, it also emphasizes God’s patience and constant pull to bring him back to where he needs to be––right next to Him.
When you realize that there is no better place to be than right next to God … well … you can’t help but dance.