A good hamburger please.

After being in Namibia, Africa for about three weeks, we finally returned home (after about 35 hours of travel time). I told my wife that I would "take her out to dinner" the evening we finally got back (since we were all dead tired) and asked her what she would like to eat after being in Africa. She said, "I want a good hamburger." Knowing her normal preferences (like pasta, Chinese food, etc...), I was surprised to hear her say that she wanted a good old-fashioned (somewhat greasy) hamburger. But thinking about it for a moment, I realized that most of the meat we had been privileged to eat was mainly wild game meat - like Kudu (sp?). If you have never had a Kudu hamburger, you have missed an extremely "lean" experience. It is true that folks in Namibia wouldn't have batted an eye eating that, and most would have thought it a delicacy. But if you have been raised on farm raised beef all your life, farm raised beef is what you crave.

Interesting (I know you're wondering where this is going), we get used to tradition as well - in day to day affairs, in our relationships, and even in our religious experiences. Church can be one big tradition that can oftentimes be more boring than beneficial. But tradition can be a source of inspiration and reminder of God's wonderful holiness and majesty. And more importantly, our source of spiritual nourishment is what helps ensure our priorities stay in their proper order. It is the sustenance of God's Word that helps nourish a right relationship with God - not the vehicle by which it arrives. Enjoying certain traditions, helps us feel comfortable and open to God's spirit when he speaks to us. So whatever traditions you are comfortable with, allow them to merely be the vehicle that helps usher in God's spirit into your life - allowing a change that will last for eternity.