Traditions

 4th Day of Christmas, December 28, 2022 (7:34 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Thank You.

(7:47 a.m.)

We get to come before You with all our thoughts. Our hopes. Dreams. Desires. Wonders. Traditions.

I’m asking You to lead and teach me this morning about some of the traditions we hold near and dear to our heats. Guide us Lord. On the ones You would have us consider, continue, change or discard completely.

Father, our goal is to glorify and enjoy You. Forever. Recognizing Your lead is paramount in this undertaking. Truly Lord, we want that You would be glorified through our thoughts, words and action.

You are changing my heart in so many ways. Softening it. Strengthening it. Supplementing it with the Truth of Your Word. That’s what I long to follow Blessed God. Your Truth. Not merely our traditions.

(5:22 p.m.)

Asked of You. And answered! Searching the internet to find other writings concerning traditions and the true spirit of Christmas, I found so much more than expected:

Isaiah 9:6-7

Traditions are not just what we do, or eat, or how we decorate. Traditions tell us who we are and what our family values. My family values love without obligation, and choice.

“Observe, don’t judge.”

The spirit of Christmas in all those participants in the first Christmas [Elizabeth, Zacharias, angels, shepherds, Simeon, Anna] was praise and thanks and blessing and glory to God; in a word, that is worship. Worship - let me give you a brief definition - is an attitude.  It is a spirit.  It is something on the inside.  It is an attitude of the heart that is so filled with wonder and gratitude at what God has done that there is not a thought of personal needs or personal blessings, only total abandonment to God in praise and adoration; that’s worship. It is as the hymn writer puts it, “to be lost in wonder, love, and praise.”  It is to be so grateful and so filled with wonder at what the Lord has done that we lose ourselves in adoring worship, adoring praise.  What better time for this than Christmas when we focus on the very giving of Christ who is our Savior.

Luke 1:46

“What can I give him, poor as I am, if were a shepherd I would give him a lamb.  If I were a wiseman, I would do my part.  But what can I give him?  Give my heart.”  That’s worship.  And maybe it was John Francis Wade, who died in 1786, who summed it all up in the simple words, “Oh come, let us adore him.  Oh come, let us adore him.  Oh come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.”

“Father, we thank You for this marvelous reminder of the focus of life, which is worship.  May it come from deep within us, directed toward You, our saving God.  For what You have done for us, what You have done for generation after generation of saved sinners.  And the way in which You have kept every promise to Your people.  We rejoice.  And our rejoice finds its focus in this great historic moment when You came into the world as a baby - thank You.  We praise You.  We offer You our heart worship.  In Your Son’s name, amen.”

These postings by others spell out for me the traditions I most want to take with us through the years. Adoration. Praise. Worship. Yes please, Lord. I want to adore, praise and worship You as You so rightly deserve.

Use me to Your good and glorious end. I love, need, trust and want You. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(613 words ~ 5:52 p.m.)