The Sign Of The Cross

The Father
Where is the awe and reverence of God in me, in the church?
As a young boy I can remember walking toward the alter and upon reaching it genuflecting in awe of God. As a child I did not have the baggage nor the routine that the priest must had and so this small but important act was genuine. My lungs would hold my breath in until I had passed by. This is God after all He created me and everything else. Does the emerging church care?
The Son
Where is the authenticity and love in me, in the church?
I did not start my quest to know Jesus until I found myself in Waco Texas in the mid 80’s. Young ladies whose fathers were Protestant pastors interrogated me poolside about my faith. Statements like “you are the way the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through me” alarmed me at first. Was my mother, the Our Lady of the Lake nun, really going to hell? Should I remove the bumper sticker on my Camaro “Speed on brother hell ain’t half full”? What I did do was to buy a Bible and started to read it. I realized these Baptist whacko’s had more knowledge about their faith than me so if I learn more then I could argue my case just as they did. Funny thing was that people talked one way and acted out in daily routine completely opposite. I had to move to Houston to actually find a young guy, a peer living out a life with power who caught my attention. OK this guys different, he talks and walks this Jesus thing. Is there a seminar on Discipling Power and Conversion say WC 102-surely Hybel’s must have one and under 60 minutes! Does the emerging church care?
The Holy Spirit
Where is the power and authority in me, in the church?
About 3 years ago I expanded my worship experience to something called Intercessory Worship, a mix of prayer-intercession and worship. These folks are bonafide worship hounds and I started to see and hear terms like “angelic portals”, prophetic prayer encounters, and others. Having experienced a couple amazing signs and wonders I could not help but think that this was the missing ingredient in my walk-it was not. I happen to love Benny Hinn! Not even the juggernaught Joel Osteen ever packed 1.1 million people (in India) into a 3-day healing event with miracle after miracle. Who do I call to cast out demons or heal the sick in the church of 3 songs, prayer, sermon, offering and 1 song? Does the emerging church care?

The next time I make the sign of the cross and I don’t know when that will be I want it to be different, with awe, special, with power and authority, love and compassion. The right word might be wholeness.

Shalom
RCK