Drawing Near to God Through Tradition

"[Jesus] went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom" 

(Luke 4:16)

"On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus...

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body."

Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.'" (Matthew 26:17, 26-28)

Every family has traditions. Whether they are based around holidays, a weekly ritual, or a daily routine... every family has its own traditions. I think we find traditions comforting. We know what to expect. They happen on a regular basis and always happen in a similar manner. We have fond memories attached to tradition. Good food, good conversation, and good times with family and friends. Traditions are comfortable.

Likewise, every church has its own traditions. While some churches are considered more "traditional" than others, I think this is a misnomer. ALL churches are "traditional", it's just that some churches have been practicing their traditions a lot longer than others. 

In continuing the "drawing near to God" series, I wanted to explore the idea that people sometimes best draw near to God through practicing traditions. While we need to be careful not to become dependent on rituals, traditions do serve a purpose in helping people find God's presence. 

Jesus had the tradition of attending church regularly. He celebrated the tradition of Passover with his disciples. He also created the tradition of Communion. Traditions serve the purpose of bringing people together and reminding them of God's amazing grace, mercy, and love. As I  said before, traditions are comfortable. People are creatures of habit. We like knowing what to do and what to expect. In this crazy world, sometimes the most effective way to draw close to God is by taking part in a familiar tradition to remind us of Him.

Traditions offer us a warm, familiar hug. God knows that we need gentle, regular reminders of Him. This is offered in the traditions He set out for us. Is it really any surprise, then, that often our fondest memories are built around tradition? I certainly hope that some of those fond memories have my Father God at their center.

**This post is a post in my "Drawing Near to God" series inspired by Gary Thomas' book Sacred Pathways.