Remember Him

Remember Him

[Jesus] took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.”

Luke 22:19

What are your family traditions? As Christmas nears, most of us have them. Do you attend a candlelight service on Christmas Eve? Go caroling or sing hymns around the piano? Do you open presents with other family members? To members of younger generations traditions may seem outdated or boring, but the Amish demonstrate that traditions will be valued later only if they are kept now:

We consider tradition as being spiritually helpful. Tradition can blind you if you adhere only to tradition and not the meanings of the tradition, but we really maintain a tradition. . . . We have some traditions, that some people question and I sometimes myself question, that are being maintained just because they are a tradition. This can be adverse, but it can also be a benefit. Tradition always looks bad if you’re comparing one month to the next or one year to the next, but when you’re talking fifty or more, tradition looks more favorable.

We may follow many spiritual traditions. But do we keep those traditions because they are truly helpful to us or only because we’ve always done certain things that way?

When Jesus instituted what we call the Lord’s Supper, He was following the spiritual tradition of Passover, which was an important reminder of God’s mercy to His people in Egypt. He didn’t just want to add another tradition but was instituting a commemoration and an observation of His life and death for us. He wanted us to remember the manner of our salvation through all generations.

This Christmas, instead of observing traditions only for tradition’s sake, take time to remember the meaning behind them. Consider the Presence behind the presents. Focus on the “Him” behind the hymns. Give your heart in service, both during a candlelight service and after the Christmas season. Finally, focus on the Christ in Christmas Day.

You might also think about new traditions you would like to start, traditions that will turn your heart to Jesus now and the hearts of coming generations in the future.

Dear heavenly Father, You are the reason for the season. May this be more than just a catchy phrase to me in the days to come.