tradition... a sad substitute... for His Word...

tradition... 1 a: an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (as a religious practice or a social custom) b: a belief or story or a body of beliefs or stories relating to the past that are commonly accepted as historical though not verifiable... 2: the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction 3: cultural continuity in social attitudes, customs, and institutions 4: characteristic manner, method, or style...

--- Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (Eleventh Edition) 

Overcome by a heavy heart... sitting in a place filled with tradition... saddened by a substitute... taking the place of His Word... His rhema word... that which He currently speaks through His Spirit... and His Living Word...

So faith comes from hearing,

and hearing through the word (rhema) of Christ.

Romans 10:17 ESV

The early church... established many traditions... all... at one time... inspired by His Spirit... based on the Word... prompted by the faith of  individuals' relationships with Him...

Yet... apart from that Word... and relationship... the tradition is solely an exaltation of the person once inspired... disconnected from any personal revelation for those today...

Apart from Him... tradition leads to worship... centered on the created... rather than the Creator...

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

Romans 1:24-25 ESV

Tradition-based worship... leads to exchanging the Truth... for a lie... and impurity in the church...

Focusing on His Living Word... rather than the traditions of early Believers... is far more important... and crucial... to the heart of the church... than honoring those who came before...

I'm not saying that He doesn't use past traditions to speak to us today... He's led me to return to some ancient practices... observing Lent... praying the hours... but I do so at His rhema word to me... what comes from my relationship with Him...

The heaviness of heart felt today... came in preparation to pray for worship... and it didn't feel like my own sadness... but His... His Spirit... speaking to mine...

A call to return... not to tradition... but to His Word... and what He has to say to each of us... today...

Lord Jesus... where in my life do I worship... serve... the created rather than You... the Creator...? Shine Your Light on any lies I believe... root out traditions... keeping me separated from You... purify my heart... and soul... purify Your Church... fill us with a hunger for Your Word... Your rhema word...