Two years ago at our church Parents’ Sunday attending parents were presented with a handheld praying cross as a gift.

The cross is the principal symbol of the Christian religion, recalling the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the redeeming benefits of His Passion and death.

If we want to grow in our love for God, the first and greatest commandment, we must be growing, understand and appreciate of the cross, which shows us His great love. If we want to grow in godliness, we must grow in understanding the significance of the cross, which confronts the most prevalent and insidious of all sins, namely, pride.

Because of what Jesus has done for us the whole meaning of the cross has changed dramatically. From being a symbol of fear, judgement and shame, the cross has now become a symbol of hope, sacrifice, joy and freedom.

We turn to prayer because it is the most personal way to experience God, to encounter Him and to grow in knowledge of Him. According to the book of Ephesians, God’s desire is for us to pray “on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Ephesians 6:18).

Last year before I moved back to Miri, I chose the Praying Cross as a farewell gift to my friends ( my small group, my choir group, my colleagues and my friends). I placed my order with the pastor in Kuching.

The word “Pray Always” is inscribed on the cross. Together with it, a small little note is attached that says “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in Prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”(Mark 11:24)

Weeks later, I received a message from a very close friend giving me testimony of how the cross helped her aunties. She’s supposed to pass a cross to Aunty Tina from me but she didn’t manage to do it until one day when she went to visit Aunty Liu at the hospital, passed the cross to Aunty Tina, who was there caring for Aunty Liu. Just before they left, Aunty Liu asked whether she could keep the cross for the night as she would be undergoing surgery the next day. The little cross helped Aunty Liu experience the peace and joy she needed that night. She was ready for the surgery the next day. A week later, Aunty Liu passed away peacefully. Aunty Tina told me the cross is now with her on the bedside table.

Another friend wrote me a message thanking me for the wonderful cross that I gave her. Every night she will hold the cross to pray for her family, her friends and her colleagues, who are non-Christians. She told me that she really felt so much peace and joy while holding the cross to pray.

A young Christian couple James and Bee Li were also given a cross. Bee Li was very sick and was in and out of hospital. When I passed the cross to her she kept it with her all the time until the day she passed on. I witnessed her passing with the cross next to her bedside at the hospital. And till today the powerful cross is with her husband, James who shared with me that whenever he was lonely and sad remembering his wife, he would take the cross and say a little prayer. He believed that Bee Li has gone to a better place and she suffered no more.

Messages from my small group members and choir friends kept coming in to thank me for the wonderful gift. It was a real joy that I have made a good choice of gift. Praise the Lord.

Face the cross is a beautiful song on how we feel how Jesus died on the cross for us.

Upon the cross of Jesus my eye at times can see
The very dying form of One who suffered there for me.

Face the cross, He hangs there in your place.
See the Lamb upon the killing tree.
Stand and look into the Savior’s face
As on the cross, He dies for you and me.

Face the cross and see the dying Son.
See the Lamb upon the killing tree.
See His anguish and His tears of love.
Face the cross, He dies to set us free.

Turn not away, turn not away.
His nail-pierced hands are reaching out to you, to you.
Look upon, upon the one, upon the killing tree.
Feel His pain and love from deep within,
So great a price, yet paid so willingly.
Turn not away, turn not away,

Face the cross, face the cross.
Face the One who suffers in your place,
See the Lamb, upon the killing tree.
Light of the world, now clothed in darkness grim
As on the cross, He hangs in agony.

Face the cross and turn not away, turn not away.
His nail-pierced hands are reaching out to you.
Turn not away, behold His wounded side.
Turn not away, behold the crucified.
Face the cross, He hangs there in your place.
Face the cross, and see the King of Grace.
Face the cross, face the cross.

— Words by Herb Fromach

Why do I pray? I am first called to prayer because it is a key vehicle to building my love relationship with Jesus Christ. What I need is to build my love-grace relationship with Him. I have to learn to allow Him to embrace me, to care for me, to point out my needs to me (and how He fills them). I need to listen to Him, and I desperately need to talk to Him. The Praying Cross has helped me and others to pray and to cling on to Him and His promises. Will you join us?

Wendy Tiong
Grace Methodist Church, Miri