Tues., 2/4/14 Devotion (Mk. 7:9)

Today's encouragement comes from Mark 7:9, which says this:

"And [Jesus] said to them, 'You have a fine way of rejecting the command-ment of God in order to establish your tradition!’ " (ESV)

Ask any faithful minister, and he will tell you, that most people are much more fastidious about their religious traditions, than they are about the actual com-mandments of God. This is a primary curse result of the fall of man. Tradi-tions are perceived as "safe," and manageable; whereas God's commands are considered hard and unreasonable. In fact, the exact opposite is the case.

Let us recognize that some tradition in religion is unavoidable, (and some is even to be commended).  But let us always subject our traditions to the word of God, and the gospel of Christ.

[Puritan quote of the day: "[A godly man] is not content to go to heaven alone but wants to take others there. . . . A godly man is both a diamond and a lode-stone [magnet]--a diamond for the sparkling luster of grace and a lodestone for his attractiveness." --Thomas Watson, in, "The Godly Man's Picture"]