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At the start of this series, I began by laying out four things we risk when we do not remember who God is and all that He has done.  These were:

• Falling into idolatry/trusting ourselves or our possessions (Deut. 8:13-14)
• Never growing in trust of/faith in God (Isa. 40:20-21)
• Stumbling into sin and suffering the Father’s discipline (Deut. 8:19)
• Forfeiting a generation to the enemy (Judges 2:10-11)

So how do we, as parents, make sure that our family is all about remembering God?  So far we’ve looked at remembering Himin the Word, in song, and in prayer and in fellowship. This post, I’d like us to look at how the people of God remember him in our traditions and memorials.

In the modern Bible church movement there has, in my estimation, been an almost complete purge of tradition, ceremony, and memorial from church life.  In our defense, I think that this has largely been a reaction to “traditionalism.”  This I will define as the elevation of a tradition, or memorial, to the point where the original meaning and intent are lost.  It is often replaced by the wholesale worship of the tradition itself.  A rejection of such idolatry is just and right.  I am afraid, however, that we have thrown the baby out with the bath water, so to speak.

Wouldn’t a more conservative approach be to recapture the true meaning and purpose of tradition and memorial in our lives?  To answer this question we must first understand the answer to two other questions.  First, where did we get our traditions, memorials, or ceremonies?  The second is why did we get them?  Let’s look to scripture as our guide.

“Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’  tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”
(Joshua 4:4-7)

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19)

These are only two of many, many examples you can find in both the Old and New Testaments, but I think they answer our two questions. Tradition and memorial are gifts to us, ordained, and in many cases commanded, by God. God intended their use as a tool for helping us to remember who He is and all that He has done for us throughout history.

Tradition and memorial are gifts to us, ordained – and in many cases, commanded – by God.

Does this mean that the only traditions or memorials that are okay are the ones explicit in Scripture?  I would say no.  You can also find places in scripture where a memorial or altar is erected, without direct instructions from God, in order to worship Him and remember something specific He had done.

Two RBC families come to mind when I think of creating tradition and memorial.  The first family told me a story of their “Memorial Shelf.”  This is a prominent shelf where they display items that remind them of something specific God did on their behalf in answer to prayer.  To most people it might look like a shelf full of junk.  But they always ask, “what is the story with all that stuff?” and then this faithful family can tell them the stories of God’s grace and mercy in their lives.

The second family created their own tradition at Christmas.  It involves the dad doing a dramatic reading of the Luke account of the birth of Jesus.  As they get to each new character in the account the children must go out and find that figure for the nativity.  When they find it is always sitting with a pile of gifts, one for each person in the family, and they open those gifts before moving on in the story.  They’ve told me this can take all day but the emphasis on the true gift of God in Jesus is rich in this family tradition and is never lost.

What am I getting at?  God gave us tradition as a tool to help us and our children and their children, to remember.  We must not forget and we must not allow the next generation to forget either.  Don’t let traditionalism rob you of this God ordained tool.  Embrace the historic traditions, make up your own, set up memorials, but don’t ever lose the reason behind the tool.

It is my prayer that, as you’ve read through this series of devotions on remembering God, you have discovered new ways for you and your family to make remembrance a vital part of your spiritual lives.  In song, in prayer, in the Word, in fellowship, and in tradition – being careful, “so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.” (Deuteronomy 4:9)

May your Christmas be one of blessed memories,

Mike Meyers, Director of Children’s Ministry

In our introduction I began by laying out four things we risk when we do not remember who God is and all that He has done.  These were:

• Falling into idolatry/trusting ourselves or our possessions (Deut. 8:13-14)
• Never growing in trust of/faith in God (Isa. 40:20-21)
• Stumbling into sin and suffering the Father’s discipline (Deut. 8:19)
• Forfeiting a generation to the enemy (Judges 2:10-11)

So how do we, as parents, make sure that our family is all about remembering God?  So far we’ve looked at remembering Himin the Word, in song, and in prayer. This week, I’d like us to look at how the people of God remember him in their fellowship.

What comes to mind when we think of fellowship?  Is it Christian friends gathered around a game of monopoly and a bowl of chips and salsa, having little more than small talk?

Please don’t misunderstand. There is nothing wrong with monopoly and salsa, of course. In fact, I think salsa is one of the greatest inventions in history. However, that is not the kind of fellowship that the Scriptures are speaking of. So what is and how can Biblical fellowship serve to help us remember God? Let’s look at what Biblical fellowship consists of and I think we’ll find our answer.

We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:3)

What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. (1 Corinthians 14:26)

When Paul and John spoke of the fellowship of believers, I think they envisioned the kind of fellowship shared by Jesus’ closest friends.  A group of the faithful gathered around the person of Jesus. They shared with one another what God had done (1 John 1:3), prayed together, worshiped together, and broke bread in communion together.  If you are host to this kind of fellowship in your home then you are blessing your children more than you know. If you are not then I strongly encourage you to seek it out like a thirsty man seeks water.  Like the ancients before us, gathered round the campfire telling the stories of our great God in action, we need to remember, together in fellowship, everything that God is and has done.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25)

As Christmas approaches, next time we’ll look at remembering God through our traditions and memorials.

In our introduction I began by laying out four things we risk when we do not remember who God is and all that He has done.  These were:

• Falling into idolatry/trusting ourselves or our possessions (Deut. 8:13-14)
• Never growing in trust of/faith in God (Isa. 40:20-21)
• Stumbling into sin and suffering the Father’s discipline (Deut. 8:19)
• Forfeiting a generation to the enemy (Judges 2:10-11)

So how do we, as parents, make sure that our family is all about remembering God?  So far we’ve looked at remembering Him in the Word and remembering God in song. This post, I’d like us to look at how the people of God remember him in prayer.

How do we teach our children to pray? I know that all too often I fall into the pattern of thanking God for the day’s blessings, asking forgiveness, and making requests.  These are all biblical and worthy topics for prayer.  But when it comes to remembering God for who He is and all He has done, we want to have something more than short-term memory.

In the book of Nehemiah we find a beautiful example of prayer that truly remembers God in all His glory.  In the ninth chapter of Nehemiah the priestly Levites are leading a gathering of the people in worship after the wall has been rebuilt and many of the remnant of Israel have returned.  In verse five, they call on the people to stand. Then there begins a rather lengthy prayer.

I think that in this prayer we can find a model for remembering God.  First God is recognized for who He is.  “Blessed be your glorious name,” they begin.  “You alone are Lord.”  Many of God’s attributes are then declared in prayer.  He is praised as the creator of all things seen and unseen.  Immediately following this they begin recounting to God the history of His interaction with them beginning with Abraham. Miracle by miracle, grace by grace, blessing by blessing, they revisit God’s hand at work among them and their own failings throughout the relationship.  Wow!  It is based on this detailed memory that they are able to cry out to God in the end and say, we know we have failed, we have sinned, but You are compassionate and forgiving and we are turning back to You.  How sad it would be if no one present could remember any of it? Where would that have left them?

When it comes to remembering God for who he is and all he has done we want to have something more than short-term memory.

So how might our family emulate this example of memorable prayer?  Here are two ideas for you to consider.

1. Sit down as a family and record your family’s spiritual history.  Include when people were saved, God provided in a different or special way, answers to prayer, etc.  Go back as far as you can.  Hearing about how grandpa or grandma came to Christ is exciting and interesting for your children.  Include the failings as well, where age appropriate, but focus on how God worked through and in these struggles.
2. Pick a time when the family can gather for prayer and worship.  During your prayer time pray through your recorded history to God.  Remember back to Him, as the priests in Nehemiah, who He is, all that He has done in your relationship, and acknowledge Him.  Try to do this with some regularity, whether it’s once a month thing or something you do at a specific time of year.  You will also need to keep the story updated as God continues to work in and through your family.

Tune in next time when we talk about remembering God through fellowship.