Rich or Ritual?
Dan Kunz
“Okay, kids, it’s time for bed!” How many times are those words spoken across America every night? How many times have those words been spoken since the beginning of time? How many more times will those words be spoken before Jesus comes to take us all home? As my wife and I were raising our four daughters, the nightly bedtime ritual played out thousands of times. Wash your face, brush your teeth, put on your pajamas, use the bathroom – pretty standard stuff for most families. Some families have additional rituals, such as choosing your clothes for school the next day, making your lunch, or giving everybody a goodnight kiss. If you are part of a Christian family, reading a Bible story and saying your prayers are, hopefully, also a nightly occurrence.
According to one Internet source, a ritual is “a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order.” If we focus strictly on religious or faith-related actions which are performed on a regular basis, we probably all make a number of them part of our daily lives. Morning, mealtime, and bedtime prayers, devotional readings or videos, and Bible reading are a few that Christians perform. On a weekly basis, we attend worship services. Seasonally, we may attend Lenten or Advent services. Unfortunately, rituals can sometimes become “haftas” instead of “gettas”.
What is the goal of all these rituals? Is it to have “God time”? On one hand, it’s good to make sure we take time to acknowledge God, thank God, or praise God in our lives, but on the other hand, isn’t all time God’s personal property?
The gifts which God gives us in the form of his Word, the privilege of prayer, the opportunity to ponder him and his world in the form of devotions, or discuss the meaning of it all with our family, friends, or acquaintances enrich our lives. God makes the big things in our lives better, but he also makes the little things in our lives better. “Mindfulness” is a commonly used term today. Pondering practices, considering consequences, and analyzing ideas should be regularly done by all of us. Including God and his place in our world and our lives should be part of that process. Although “WWJD” (What Would Jesus Do) shouldn’t be the end of the discussion of Him, it should be part of our discussion! Being mindful of God and what he has done for us, makes our lives richer by far.
How do we avoid rituals and live richer? Think, say, and do. Make time to consider and analyze God’s Word – its meaning and impact on us. Talk to one another about Jesus. Start those bedtime rituals early enough to discuss the Bible story with your kids, but also talk about God with them whenever you get the chance. Act like Jesus is right next to you in everything you do – because he is! God’s words and ways should be with us always. Deuteronomy 6:7 “Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you lie down and when you get up.” Change your rituals into riches!