My family loves Charlie Hall. When his CD ‘The Rising’ came out, we pre-ordered it on iTunes and got excited about every song we got to hear before its release. When our good friend Charlie Fox brought Mo-Mo an autographed copy, we all gathered around the computer as soon as we got home so we could listen to the entire CD together. So, naturally, when we heard that Charlie Hall would be leading worship at the LifeChurch.tv late experience, we had to go. None of us had seen him live before, and our expectations were high! As we waited for the experience to start, Cory and I were discussing the various Christian artists I’ve seen in concert and how Charlie might compare.
The lights went down, the band started playing “Marvelous Light”, and the kids and I made our way to stand near the baptism pool. The atmosphere was amazing. During his second song, those who were being baptized started getting in the pool – and through my tears of joy, I prayed that there would never come a day that I could watch a baptism without being overcome with emotion for my Savior’s sacrifice and their acceptance of Him. I cried and cheered as each person went into the water and then came out, celebrating their new life in Christ. When the pool went dark, we finished the song and I dried my tears, ready to compose myself and sing another song – but God had other plans.
Several words into the third song, the tears came back. In that moment, singing about the bread of heaven, broken for me…the cup of salvation, held up to drink…I forgot all about Charlie Hall. I forgot everything – how stressed I was, how much I hurt, where I had been, who I had seen – and the only thing I knew was that Christ is risen and he will come again. In that holy moment, with my hands lifted high and tears streaming down my upturned face, I wasn’t there for Charlie Hall or for the Baptism Bash. I was there for my God, my Savior, my Prince of Peace, my Emmanuel. I walked into that room expecting to be moved by Charlie Hall, and I left that room not even caring who was on the stage.
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