Friday, February 26, 2010

"Rites and Rituals" or "Getting God Out of Church"

As we live, breathe, and exist, we seek to touch something or someone beyond ourselves. So in our attempt to reach the unreachable, we have created symbols and ceremonies to remind ourselves we are not alone. We sing our doxologies, chant our ancient prayers, and wear our Sacred garments. While they may their place, there has been unintended consequences to our habitual offerings. One of these consequences is that we have replaced the worship of God with the worship of worship. These things have become so important to us, we find it impossible to connect with God without them or if they are changed.
Another unintended consequence is that these traditions have encouraged the idea that God belongs in the church and everything else is life. These traditions have bound us to worship in a place or at a specific time. However, Scripture is not just about the church, but is mostly about everyday life. How we interact with God and how we interact with each other are themes and instructions of His Word. He created life, so wouldn't it make sense He is a part of all aspects of life.
So instead of spending all our time in the rites and traditions of a place (which aren't found in Scripture) Shouldn't we spend the days, weeks, months, and years celebrating the gift God has given us, the gift of life.