Where do we find them?!?!?!? And how do we explain it to the children!?!?!?!?

For those who don't know, Jimmy and I teach at a Christian school (whatever THAT means). We have weekly chapels. But once a year, those weekly chapels become daily. We call this "Spiritual Emphasis Week".

Today, we had a man tell our students that signs and wonders should follow all children of God around wherever they go. I agree with this, but I think my concept of what a "sign and wonder" is differs dramatically from our speakers'.

He told the students to bring a personal affect of a sick, ailing, or otherwise needy family member or friend to chapel on Friday. He will pray over them. The "substance" that is inside of him will be transferred to the item, and when the friend or family member touches it, "things will happen."

Rub the bottle and a genie appears. Say the secret word and the duck comes down.

People, I am certainly of the opinion that we live in an age where the church does not expect to see miracles, and I think that's a shame, because the response has been that we have stopped asking God to demonstrate his power miraculously.

However, I have a problem with a theology that says that God performs on command.

God does what HE wants. And a theology that does not accept sickness, death, poverty, and other misfortunes as just as much a part of God's plan is misguided. God isn't going to heal everyone who is prayed over, because death is a part of life, and a part of God's plan.

I know from personal experience. I've had people who I prayed fervently over never get better. I suppose that our speaker today would say that I don't have God in me. Or I didn't believe enough. Or I didn't do it right.

Why is it that every dead person I have prayed over has stayed dead? Does God not hear me?

But, you know, if that's where this guy is at, then so be it. More power to him if God heals every person he touches. God be glorified. My problem, though, is that we have created such an atmosphere in the church that the students I teach are actually afraid to disagree with this guy. "He's a pastor! What he says is supposed to be true! But what if I know better? Is there something wrong with me?"

I felt awful that I had students... wonderful kids with great hearts... doubting their relationship with God because this guy presented his walk as if it should be everyone's. Where did this fear come from? God, we've put it in our kids. They're afraid of learning for themselves. They're afraid to question. They're afraid to directly experience the Word because, if it doesn't look just like me, then they're doing it wrong!

So this guy will come on Friday. He passed up numerous opportunities to heal today. He even shook hands with a kid with a broken collar-bone. What gives? He said he wants them to stew over it. You know what I think? I think this guy knows that after Friday, he won't have to come back and face the music when little Jill's Aunt Sally's cancer doesn't go away after she touched his magic handkerchief!

Maybe I'm a cynic for thinking that. But he's offering guarantees. HE PROMISED THESE KIDS! He presumes to know the mind of God, and that God's mind is that all the things these kids want will come true because he prayed over some stuff! To me, if he had the ability to heal then and there, and he didn't do it, that stinks. Especially given that his excuse is that he was taking a two-day pause for dramatic effect!

But maybe it's just me.
posted by Stephen at 10:43 PM | |