Coffee With The Lord

Christmas traditions are special, memorable occurrences that nearly every family have… Christian traditions are even more meaningful…

For some it is a special reading from the Bible, for others its a special celebration of the Lord’s supper or communion. It may be as simple, yet significant as the “Father of the family” reading the Christmas story. Sometimes even a special dish for the dinner table can have Christian traditional value.

For the Bartel family, the giving of a personal “gift to Jesus” before we open our gifts to each other is traditional. A card or sheet of paper is passed to each person. Then a few comments are shared about the profound significance of the Lords wonderful gift of Jesus (and because of Jesus) to us. A time of prayerful reflection follows in which each person thinks about a gift – a personal commitment they’d like to give to Christ in the coming year. Each person writes their commitment on their card or sheet of paper… “To Jesus… then their commitment… followed by “From (and their name). It is placed in an envelope with the words “To Jesus… From…) and then placed under the Christmas tree. Believe me, a pretty significant “tradition” for the LeRoy Bartel family!

But today, in my Bible reading during my time of “coffee with the Lord,” I read of some even more significant and profound “traditions!” They are “traditions” that have powerful value for our Christian lives, they safeguard what we believe and hold dear, they help us contend for and even discern the difference between truth and error…. They’re REALLY important!

“Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you! If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that He made to us – eternal life!” (1 John 2:24-25) “Stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter. (Apostle Paul)” (2 Thessalonians 2:15)

Now, I know there are some who call themselves Christians that have a tendency to dismiss the value of “traditions” … It seems to me that is a terrible mistake. I acknowledge many “traditions” are simply human inventions… But there are others that are vitally important, even instituted by our Lord (like Communion), and others have value because they serve as reminders, safeguards, and practices that keep us true to our faith and fellowship in Christ. Hey, this Christmas season I’m going to seek to dismiss traditions that detract from my faith in Christ, but I’m going to cling to (and sustain) the ones that deepen it!

Christmastime – or as the broader culture likes to call it, “the holiday season” – can tragically be one of the most materialistic and self-focused seasons of the year!  And Christ-followers can be swept into cultural vortex and find themselves abandoning or compromising their values.  I do not want to be a spiritual casualty of the season!

So when I read these words this morning during “coffee with the Lord” I was grateful for the reminder they provide (I’ve chosen to provide them in the words of the Message paraphrase)…

“Don’t love the world’s ways! Don’t love the world’s goods! Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father.  Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father! It just isolates you from Him.  The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity!” (1 John 2:15–17 The Message)

Help me Lord to maintain a Christ-centered – eternal values focused – perspective!

We’ve done the parenting thing (four children of our own)… and watched a lot of other people do it (some more successfully than others) and I can tell you EVERY child has to learn OBEDIENCE!  Some find it easier than others, but every child has to learn it.  If they don’t learn it, they have a long, difficult, road ahead of them!

Children of God with a Heavenly Father have to learn it too!  Thought of that this morning as I read 1 John 2.3-6 in the Bible…

“We know that we have come to know Him if we keep His commands.  Whoever says, “I know Him,” but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.  But if anyone obeys His word, love for God is truly made complete in them.  This is how we know we are in Him:  Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.” (NIV)

I’ve been “born again” through faith in Christ.  I’m a child of God.  I’ve got a wonderful, loving Heavenly Father.  I want to please Him, but there’s something in me I wrestle with… SELF-WILL!  Every child of God has to learn it – obedience…  Take it from me, I’m working on it – I know you are too!  He’s patient!  And a wonderful, loving, Heavenly Parent!  He’ll help us learn it (and He’s not afraid of DISCIPLINE… lovingly administered, but DISCIPLINE, never-the-less (check out Hebrews 12:5-11)!