Every Sunday I notice how other people in church can stand and sing without ever moving their bodies. I’m constantly moving. I sway side to side and bob back and forth. I used to think it was a character defect, a sign of my spiritual and emotional immaturity. Now I’m a little more forgiving of myself. I’ve decided that swaying and bobbing is how my mind and body download information.
When I move, I focus better. My body is no longer a distraction, but a participant in learning and prayer. In various translations of Psalm 35:10, the Psalmist says, “My whole being, all my bones, all my limbs exclaim, ‘Who is like you, O Lord?’” So I will let my whole being, my bones, and my limbs participate in Sunday worship. I hope the physical movement that helps me to concentrate is not a disruption to those around me.
