Why Traditions Seem to Matter More than Ever
Merry Christmas to some old friends and to some new!
I want desperately to encourage you with some of God’s simple words, not my own. This Christmas brings us all to a place we have never been. My words will not suffice so please hear this Christmas greeting to you, my Beacon People. I’ll start with a question.
Do you see Christmas as an invitation to a deeply relational experience with God?
Traditions will probably mean more to us this year than ever because of how they may be interrupted. Going without brings us to a place of greater appreciation for something. God made our hearts to desire tradition and we love traditions because:
1. Traditions are repetitive and familiar.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8
2. Traditions give us a place where we feel like we belong - a place of identity.
My beloved belongs to me and I belong to him. Song of Solomon 2:16
3. Traditions make us feel welcomed and invited. They say, “Come on in. Come as you are.”
Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” John 7:37
As traditions may look a little different this year, remember that our longings can be more deeply satisfied when rooted in our relationship with Jesus as we look to Him for constancy, belonging and acceptance.
This moment I'm praying that we can all find ourselves in Him this season like maybe never before.
I'd love to reconnect with any of you in 2021.
Merry (maybe more than ever!) Christmas,
Anna
