Letters to the Editor

I am a cracked pot

I want to thank Eugene Harder for sharing his story and expressing his pain ("When clay pots crack", Feb. 9). However, I consider the theology to be backwards. In response, I have written this poem: I am a cracked pot,
Beautiful to behold.
An abundance of mysterious happenings
Weave intricate designs across my surface,
Visible, shared.
Herein lies our freedom.
This is our gift
Fit for the Master's use. . . .

I am a cracked pot,
Anointed by God,
Placed on a shelf, dry, barren ground
By friends, foes and a voiceless self,
Lonely, betrayed.
Herein lies our strength.
This is our journey
For this is the Master's example.

I am a cracked pot,
Beckoned by life,
Coloured by failure, my teacher, my guide,
Risking and moving despite all the fear,
Accepting, learning.
Herein lies transformation.
There is only one life
For this is the Master's call. . . .

Audrey Guliker,
Lindell Beach, B.C.

Dance is for worship

I am concerned about the negative, condemning reactions towards dance, as seen in the responses to Banff '95. I appreciate the apology of Christian Education Ministries, yet I believe the real issue hasn't been touched.

Dance as the world knows it is displeasing to God, but dance is meant to worship God. Neither Satan nor man created dance. Satan took something that was meant for good and turned it into something vile.

Scripture is full of references to what dance is meant to be. The Psalms declare: "Let them praise His name with dancing") (Psalm 149:3, 150:4). Ecclesiastes 3:4 says that there is "a time to mourn and a time to dance". Music was a part of temple worship (I Chronicles 6), and I believe dancing was part of that. "Miriam the prophetess . . . took a tambourine . . . and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing" (Exodus 15:20). David, a man after God's own heart, danced before the Lord with all his might (II Samuel 6:14). When Michal, Saul's daughter, saw this, she despised David, and as a result God punished her with barrenness. God looks at the intentions of the heart, and He was pleased with David's dance. Many Hebrew words translated "rejoice" and "praise" refer to dancing for the Lord (II Samuel 6:14-16; Psalm 119:175, 102:18, 5:11; Zephaniah 3:14; Habakkuk 3:18).

Dance of itself is not a sin. Children have a natural, God-given desire to dance, and we should direct this desire in a God-pleasing direction. Instead of turning off our teenagers with our condemning words, we need to direct their dance to honour God, not self, not the world and not the enemy.

Kim Giesbrecht,
Winkler, Man.

Impressed

I have only had the March 8 issue for about three days, but I am already itching to use the internet and e-mail information it provided. I am impressed by the Herald's journalistic credibility and the voice it provides to people who have worthwhile things to say.

I want to compliment Fred Koop for the layout and design of the March 8 issue; it was really clever.

Lynn Graham,
Waterloo, Ont.

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