Tuesday October 23, 2012

Make a list of the traditions that you see in you life, your church etc and think about why they are there.

 

Read Leviticus 23:23-25

 

Many traditions we have or that you may have personally started with good and godly intentions have simply slid into habits. I wonder if you can think of 4 or 5 such traditions.

 

The Feast of Trumpets Biblically began as a one day celebration but soon became a two day celebration.  For many it may have seemed like tradition, but there was a good reason behind it.

 

Since the festival occurred on the first day of the month, at the new moon, it proved very difficult to communicate to the people of Israel that the festival had actually begun.  The small slither of the moon visible at a new moon made it hard to distinguish. Cloudy nights could easily hide such a small moon. There was also a need for two or more witnesses for the new moon and this could be hard to get so late in the evening. To avoid error and in a bid to please God an extra day was added to the holiday.   There was a genuine desire to keep God’s law and to make sure that God was pleased and honoured by the service and celebration. Some Jews still celebrate the holiday for an extra day!

Many of our traditions started out with such God-honouring intentions, but have since grown into stalwart traditions that no one understands and cares about.  Such traditions may or may not be helpful, but what is important is the heart with which we approach the Lord. Do we have that same desire to honour God? Do we seek to glorify God? Do we want to see God honoured and lifted up and exalted in all things? Can we say this about the way we celebrate holidays and special occasions?

 

Prayer:

Use today’s reading and notes to write down ideas for your prayers.

 

Adoration:

 

Confession:

 

Thanks:

 

Supplication:

¥ Pray that each and every person in your congregation would be seeking to honour God in their daily lives and in the corporate gathering each Sonday. Ask God to bless those who prepare and are involved in next Sonday’s service. Pray that they would prepare in such a way that God is glorified, honoured and exalted by the service.

¥ Pray that our brothers and sisters in Nigeria would be able to  honour God and exalt Him as they worship together. Pray that their worship times would shine the light of Christ so brightly that many others come to know Christ as Lord and Saviour as well.