“Tradition…Tradition!” – COVID Era Devotion, Day 32”

Brothers and Sisters,

Friday night is a tradition in the Davis household.  It’s pizza and movie night.  We’ve seen some good ones over the years; seen some losers; and even turned a few off.  Along the way we’ve put down more than a few pizzas.  We enjoy it.  The Friday night “pizza and movie” routine is part of our weekly rhythm as a family.

Now, for as good as this Davis family tradition is, I know it won’t last forever.  The day will come when it fades into our history; when it becomes the stuff of lore for future generations to reminisce over.  By God’s grace, this will happen because our family grows, matures, and advances in lives of faithfulness to Jesus Christ.  Perhaps when the days of Friday night pizza and a movie pass, we’ll start new traditions.  Maybe Friday date night.  Or (more likely?), Friday “watch the grandkids while their parents hit the town” night.

Here’s a thought to ponder: Doesn’t the life of the church work on a similar pattern?  We are, after all, like one big extended faith-family.  So how does tradition work in Jesus’ church?  Certainly, we have traditions.  Certainly, they’re important, even necessary.  Good traditions help to form us as a particular and special manifestation of Christ’s body. They give us a story that makes the “global,” “local.”  God-honoring tradition becomes a platform from which to experience, enjoy, and share the good news of salvation in Jesus.  We ought to treasure such patterns of congregational living.  But, if a family’s traditions come and go according to the seasons of life, shouldn’t a church’s do the same?  As God moves us through different seasons of ministering the Gospel, it seems our traditions ought to develop accordingly – some will persist, others will morph into something new, still others will become part of our history.  Along the way, we may find change of this sort difficult to navigate.  Traditions are precious after all…just ask the Davis kids.  But, if change in the traditional comes so as to continue in faithfulness after Jesus, then shouldn’t we welcome new seasons with excited anticipation for new traditions?

I’ll leave us with that question tonight and bid you, for now, God Bless!

In Christ,

P.J.

P.S. – I can’t help myself…Click this link to hear the classic of all “tradition” songs.