Ritual

Preacherman has an interesting discussion going at his blog on ritual in the Christian faith. If you haven't had the chance, stop by and join in!

His post spurred some thinking in me about how I have seen ritual applied to my own life and the lives of those around me.

I think that rituals can be a form of prayer, an act of worship. Don't many close couples have rituals and traditions they follow within their marriages?

Interacting with God is a funny thing. While Jesus was on earth, He was given gifts of gold and tears. I think God has an affinity for unusual gifts given in the right spirit.

And I think that if we check ourselves, most of us would have things in our lives that some might consider "rituals" or "traditions"--little things that remind us of God in unique ways.

-I know a man who sometimes wears a watch with several alarms. If he knows he's going to be in a situation where he might forget to honor God--maybe he's getting together with a buddy who has a tendency to put others down or something--he'll set the alarm for that time. The alarm reminds him to honor God.

-Since I was a small child, whenever I see an emergency vehicle with flashing lights, I'll pray for the people involved. The emergency vehicle is like a Call to Prayer.

-I sometimes kneel when I pray because it helps me to acknowledge God as holy, helps me to focus...it is my way of expressing love or gratitude or even neediness to my Savior.

-Sometimes when I'm really struggling in my relationship with God, when I have drifted far or feel empty inside, I return to the empty field where Christ became real to me when I was 12. The tall weeds make rashes on my legs. It's usually way too hot. And there I will pray.

God is so holy, so awesome, so other...sometimes all we can do is tremble in His presence. And He sometimes brings us such joy...we might find ourselves dancing in our underwear like David.

Sometimes we find ourselves lighting candles, and sometimes we sing. What about you? Do you have rituals or traditions that have helped you on your journey?

Bill Clinton Has a Dream

Scared

In a little over an hour, I'm going to go talk to a neighbor about my relationship with God. And I'm scared.

Honestly, it was a pretty confusing year. It wasn't the changes or the struggles so much. But the way God showed up.

I feel like I've been given this huge gift...and I've been throwing rotten eggs at it or...or...something.

So tonight I'm going to talk with my neighbor.

I wonder, will she think I'm totally off my rocker?
It was so hard...picking up the phone..."Hi, it's me from next door...How are the grandkids? Could we chat sometime about...about God?"

I wonder why it's so hard to ask for help, admit we are weak? I wonder why it's so, so hard to admit we need help in our relationship with God?

Sometimes I let Our relationship suffer, and all my relationships suffer as a result, just because I don't want to admit how much I'm hurting...and I don't want to bother anybody.

But isn't it worth it? Isn't it worth it for a husband, a wife, a child? And how much more so to be close to the God of the universe? His heart longs for us, breaks for us...and He rejoices as we draw near, as a father rejoices for a long lost son.