Tradition and Right Intention

Being an image and likeness of God, we always have this deep longing of knowing Him more, so much so that we try to define Him according to our human experiences. We picture God by how we relate with people so that whatever God has given us in glimpses we try to magnify by making it our tradition. The problem sometimes with tradition is that as it is being passed on from one generation to another what is left is the external actions devoid of the real meaning of why we are doing such in the first place.

The Pharisees was very much after the external ways of honoring God. They cling on to tradition because that was the way they can grasp the God they cannot see. They wanted to follow His ways and they translated it into a series of very strict implementation of laws. The objective probably was good, they wanted to make themselves pure, but I would say the intentions are not. Traditions and external actions are meaningful only as to our intentions of having it. The psalmist cries out, better one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere. He rightly expresses his deep desire of God. His intention was on God not on tradition.

This is our challenge today, to focus on Jesus so that when we apply His ways, we will do it not because it is a tradition. In YFC, we worship not because it’s our tradition to worship, nor we pray because it’s a tradition pray. We worship and pray because we desire God deep in our hearts. Our intention is to worship Him not because we are just used to it.

by aats