Thursday, December 24, 2015

Embracing Truth and Tradition (the Big Merger): What IS This Crazy Faith?

I suppose I've really put pastor Jim Staley on a pedestal lately. This is of course the wrong thing to do, because he's a mere "man" like anyone else, and is not without error. The fact that he's now been sentenced to prison for fraud, apparently due to something that took place before he was in full time ministry does not help. But, the fact is, he's really opened my eyes to a lot of things that I would not otherwise have known. I actually first learned who Mr. Staley was about 17 years back, when I first saw his documentary "Truth or Tradition" regarding Christmas.

I sat there in shock, and open mouthed...and did not want to believe a word of it. I then resigned myself to the conclusion that the disturbing things I'd just heard were a bunch of dogma that I didn't believe...and Christmas really did not mean THOSE things to me anyway. Santa claus represented magic and reward, and helped kids to get excited and to behave themselves, right? There was nothing wrong with elves, or the North Pole...it was just pretend. What was a "Gregorian calendar" anyway? What did it have to do with me? I didn't make it up! I took this a step further when I began to believe that Santa Claus was like someone representing Jesus. He enters our home "trough fire" to bring us "good gifts" and his red suit represents the blood that was shed for us, that we might be saved. The Christmas tree is a symbol of life renewing itself, new beginnings and the next harvest. Besides that, they're gorgeous and they smell so good! I mean, the whole Christmas season is a chance to wash away the old & bring in the new, right? People are often weary of whatever the previous year has dealt them & they need a fresh start.

I wonder what it was like for Yeshua's original 12, after the first temple was destroyed and Rome took over...wanting to further destroy all evidence of anything related to this man who walked around saying without reserve that he was the son of God. The Roman government were the ones who sent him to the cross in the first place (as the gospels tell us) and I suppose now they were wanting to "get rid of all the evidence" as well. What was it like for Peter, John, Matthew, Philip, Andrew, Bartholomew, James, (another James), Thomas, Simon and Jude, to take on the arduous task of keeping their savior's memory alive, while the governments of the world wanted only to destroy it? Am I now worshipping the Son of God, or sun god's? Do I want to celebrate on a day set aside for Winter Solstace when I now know that Yeshua was born in the spring, somewhere around the time of Sukot? Is it enough to just say; "That's not what it means to me"? I no longer think so. Now, I adore Christmas...I always have. Tnere are many traditions that come with it each year that are family traditions that I want to keep alive. I just feel that Adonai is changing my heart & I need to respond. How do I do this without crushing the sincere intentions of a willing heart that only wants to worship G-d?

I have no wish to do this. If you need to sing "Holly Jolly Christmas" and have a cup of cheer and watch Rudolph, go ahead. Hey I've done all these things this year too! I have no wish to destroy the sincere fath of a little girl pulling Santa's beard and believing he's real for the first time. But I think I've been living out my traditions based on the belief that Yeshua meets us where we are...and not doing Him the same courtesy. Do I meet him where he is? Do I consider the way that he wants to be worshipped, based on what scripture says & not on what tradition has always taught me? Do I really know the God I serve...the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? Am I seeking him out? Do I represent him the way he wishes it? Again, I no longer think so. Not when the layers are peeled back, if you will. This is what started to happen, with "Truth or Tradition"... and my journey goes on today. Eventually, I embraced my Hebrew roots (as a new creation in Yeshua...the old things are passed away...all things are made new, and what do you know...they have brought me back, full circle, to where I was years ago, when G-d first made me aware he was making the change in me. Teshuva, my friends...there it is!

So, here I am on this Christmas Eve day, desiring to tell the truth as G-d has put it on my heart, but not wanting to step on anyones's toes. I know this is impossible because the truth separates joints and marrow, according to the Psalms. So there is no avoiding it. But I'm just like anyone else, I don't want to hurt anyone, or feel that "sting " myself...so then I want to start "mixing" menorah's and kipha's with scenes from "White Christmas" and "Miracle on 34th Street.". Wait, I think this is basically "assimilation" isn't it? Oh goodness. What a dilemma! Couple, this with the fact that I'm embracing my Hebrew roots, which are grounded in Judaism to better get to know G-d, but Judaism does not acknowledge...G-d (Yeshua). Messianic Judaism DOES, but is also considered to be blasphemy by those who practice traditional Judaism. And all of this, my friend's is WHY this blog is called "What is this Crazy Faith?
Go eat, drink and be merry! Shalom to you!

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