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Traditions That Haven’t Happened Yet

 

Happy new year royal ranger commander’s parent’s men and all of those mentors around the world who are raising up the next generation of Godly Christ followers and servant leaders.

 

Commander Wayne it is impossible for me to believe that we’re almost into week two of 2023.

 

Commander Wayne the Bible is an extremely sophisticated book and is teaching us something every single day of the week. I’m certain your dad had a lot to say about the Exodus story and today we’re going to talk about how this thousands of years old story can teach us about traditions that remember events that haven’t even happened yet.

 

I’m Commander Randy and you’re listening to the Ranger podcast.

 

Commander Wayne Christmas and New Year’s bring us some of the most iconic and celebrated traditions rituals and ceremonies.

 

Tell me a couple of your traditions/rituals/ceremonies and a memory or two that it elicits.

 

One of the most iconic traditions for probably every American family is gathering around the table for a meal, Christmas dinner.

 

(Random factoid, only two things were in the holy of holies the arc in a table.)  Phycologist tell us that over the last 20+ years families that eat together regularly has all but disappeared.  Secular scientists tell us that they have no idea what holds families together.  Fortunately, the Bible is clear what holds families together and traditions, rituals, and routines are definitely a big part.  This is certainly true for our Royal Ranger families and fellowships.

 

 

Traditions crystalize memories and because that invoke such powerful memories, they really give us this impression that traditions are something from the past. If you ask someone at random they would probably tell you that traditions are the things that tell us something of our past. But, it’s probably more true that traditions tell us more about the future, and give us the clarity to move forward.

 

Think about the Exodus story. Moses was told to gather the people and give them the instructions for the Passover, and event that hadn’t happened yet. They would perform a ceremony and make it a tradition that would last for generations about an event that had never happened yet.

 

Jesus gather his disciples and broke bread and told them that they would do this for generations remembering an event that hadn’t happened yet, and we still do that today to remember something that hasn’t happened yet, Christs return.

 

One story driven network has brings this to life every Christmas, the Hallmark Channel.  Think about it.  What does every main character have to do to gain the clarity they are looking for and the sure footedness necessary to move forward?  They immerse themselves in the traditions, rituals, and ceremonies of their past?

 

The traditions of Royal Rangers aren’t just things that we have done to remember the past, they are there to help inform boys and young men of something yet to come.

 

Boys and young men live in a world of chaos and need to develop islands of stability.  One of the simplest ways a family can do this is to have a routine of gathering around the dinner table each week.   Royal Rangers is another island of stability and it’s our traditions, rituals and ceremonies that cement these in place.

 

Kinds of Memories

 

As you launch out into 2023 and eagerly put into motion all of your great Ranger ideas and vision, see what traditions your building on and which ones your trampling over.  Commander Wayne and I love change, growth, and new gadgets.  We also know that our traditions (The Wisdom of The Dead), need to be preserved so that we have the clarity and stability to move forward.