Holding Hands With Old People

I've come to the conclusion that we miss out on a lot of really incredible moments for stupid reasons. Call it ignorance wearing the mask of preference. I come from a background of upbringing in what many call the "emergent church". There are a lot of ideologies that are common among churches like these but the really crippling characteristic i've found i learned in places like this is in the presentation. Now i'm NOT saying there's anything wrong with it. What i am saying is i've let my inclination towards one way of doing things keep me from really experiencing God in other settings. 

I stood in a congregation full of suits and graying hair, Singing hymns and wishing that the drum kit wasn't electric or at least that it was audible. Extremely tired from an early morning service that almost seems to take place at an ungodly hour.... afternoon service please? Kidding. And as the service drew to an end, everyone stretched across the teal pews and held hands for the last song, "Be Thou My Vision". I had to stifle laughter. Holding hands? Really? Not in my comfort zone. But as the hymn drew to and end these words kicked me in the teeth...

"Heart of mine own heart, whatever befall. Be Thou my vision oh Lord God of all."

Be Thou my vision... WHATEVER befall. Man, as a servant of God that hurt to hear. Because i realized that my vision was not God's. 

ouch.

I began to sing those words throughout my day when i was alone. "Heart of mine own heart..." If we could sing those words and mean them with all of our hearts - sincerely pray them in a spirit of honesty and longing to see His vision made a reality - then details like style and and presentation wouldn't interfere in encounters with the living God. If my vision had been in line with His, then my standing there in there in the sanctuary holding hands with people three times my age and singing songs written in my Grandmother's youth would've been a part of it. Because when He is our vision, age, style, presentation and preference fall to the wayside and there aren't sub groups of believers. The body of Christ operates as a whole.

"Heart of mine own heart, whatever befall. Be Thou my vision oh Lord God of all." 

Something's ready to happens in this city and every bit of me is dying to be a part of it.