Unfortunately, America in general, but even many branches of the Protestant church, have either given up on Christian tradition altogether, or given up on fully appreciating and applying the traditions of the past. In the culture at large, it seems pretty obvious why... The " old ways " have been systematically devalued and the church and expressions of faith have been essentially removed from the culture. For two faith-based holidays, what ' s left for a culture that hates God? Nothing, really.
In the church, though, this forsaking of tradition is more complicated and more devastating. A lot of people seem to see the Christmas season as just another part of the year, and the traditions just kind of boring and old hat, and there ' s sort of a collective eye-roll at the traditional Christmas hymns. One facet I have observed is a rather poorly-reasoned idea that too much tradition and it might become meaningless and rote.
What a loss of such a gift! How silly, to avoid a good thing because it might become less than what it should be. And can ' t we have meaninglessness and roteness just as easily without our " traditional practices?" Maybe we should work on our heart attitudes instead.
Traditions of the faith join us with other Christians across the globe, spanning the centuries and millennia even, since we don ' t just find our spiritual origin in the Christ of Christmas, but in God ' s covenants with the Nation of Israel, thousands of years ago. I look at how God ' s people committed His works to their memory for future generations: Celebration and stones. Feasts and monuments.
When the Israelites were instructed on the keeping of the Passover Feast after God delivered them from Egypt, this was why:
And when your children say to you,‘ What do you mean by this service?’ you shall say,‘ It is the sacrifice of the Lord ' s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.’” And the people bowed their heads and worshiped.( Exodus 12:26-27)
When the Israelites were commanded to return the tithe of their harvests back to the Lord, it wasn’ t just a command to monetary giving, but was wrapped up in a command to rejoice, to feast. The God of the Universe was compelling His children not just to return thanks to Him, but to rejoice and feast and celebrate!“ Spend the money [ of the tithe ] for whatever you desire— oxen or sheep or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves. And you shall eat there before the Lord your God and rejoice, you and your household.”( Deut. 14: 26) What an extraordinary command, and how strange that we would turn up our smug religious noses at the opportunity to do in spirit what God had commanded His people, to give thanks and to feast with joy before the Lord!
And when years later the Israelites were under the command of Joshua, God brought them over the River Jordan, rolling back the flood-swollen river waters so that the whole nation could cross in safety. Joshua, instructed by God, directed the Israelites to take twelve stones out of the riverbed of the Jordan as they crossed over and to construct a memorial, so future generations might not forget the Lord ' s power and His goodness.
And those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal. And he said to the people of Israel,
“ When your children ask their fathers in times to come,‘ What do these stones mean?’ then you shall let your children know,‘ Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”( Joshua 4:20-24)
Thanksgiving, Christmas and the Advent season should be a time of celebration for the Christian. A time when we can proclaim the joy we have in Christ to a world walking in darkness. And a half-hearted participation in these celebrations hardly communicates joy. So set up your family monuments to the goodness of God and celebrate with friends and family. Truly revel in thanks. Celebrate Advent. Find a live Nativity to attend. Cultivate traditions in your family. Set up your cherished Creche and ponder its significance. Sing the old songs and really taste the words. Don ' t just " make memories " for the sake of the memories, but counteract the temptation to be passive at this time of year and make memories to the glory of God!
We need our celebrations and we need our stones. Celebrations to bring us into a heart-posture of thanks and rejoicing, to taste the Lord’ s goodness; and stones to be a visual and tangible reminder of Who it is we celebrate. myblackshillscountry. com Down Country Roads
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