When I was growing up as a boy there were ways that my family celebrated various occasions. There were the large, over the top situations like Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. And then there were the smaller more intimate occasions like birthdays in which my mom would typically cook the favorite meal of the one celebrating and my siblings, my parents and I would gather around the table to eat and give and receive gifts. It was an unspoken tradition. But there were other unspoken traditions we adhered to like the Sunday morning ritual of rising to attend church as a family. It was an all day process since it not only included going to an age appropriate class for an hour, or as we called it, Sunday school (the name itself didn’t do much to instill interest since I tended to want to avoid school at all costs) and attending the worship service for another hour, but also a meal at the same restaurant each week following the service. In the church service, as a young boy, I sat with my dad and younger brother almost every week, since my mom sang in the choir. My older siblings were elsewhere, for some unknown reason to me. But I would join my dad in our traditional seats on the south side of the balcony of the church. I always knew I could find my dad in the same seat weekly. It was a tradition, a pretty good tradition, if you ask me.

I have come to believe that traditions and habits have similarities. Both of them are formed over time, represent something familiar, and are repeated often. My response to circumstances is often just a manifestation of a traditional perspective or a way of doing things. Certain traditions can help a life flourish while others might cause a life to stagnate and wither. For me, it has become clear that not all my traditions are healthy or are initiated by healthy thinking. So I am considering it might be time to introduce a new tradition, a new practice that is formative and healthy to my life.

I was reading in the Gospel of Mark chapter five about the synagogue official named Jairus, whose daughter lay sick and dying in bed. In the midst of the crisis Jairus came, fell on his knees and pleaded earnestly with Jesus to heal his daughter. I was imagining, after the intent of other Jewish religious leaders to put Jesus to death, how difficult it must have been to break ranks with his peers and come seeking the help of Jesus. His action took courage, humility and faith. Having fallen to his knees and humbled himself, Jairus pleaded with Jesus to come with him and lay hands on his daughter, believing that Jesus could restore her to health. And then without so much as a word, the Scripture indicates, Jesus went with him.

I admire Jairus because when confronted with difficult circumstances he doesn’t try to manipulate, control or manage the situation, but instead in humility comes to Jesus and pleads earnestly for His help. It seems to be such a wonderful example of what prayer might truly be. My problem is that I, unlike Jairus in this story, tend to choose manipulation, control and management to address my difficult circumstances. In my pride I refuse to admit I need help and try to gather strength and resources of the human variety. If I find my efforts are not having the desired effect I retreat to escapes, addictions and fantasies to avoid dealing with the inner and outer crisis of my life. Yet my arsenal of responses is no match for the presence and power of Jesus. But these are my traditional/habitual ways of dealing with problems, difficulties and discomforts.

I have decided it may be time to begin a different way of handling these situations that expose my helplessness so adeptly. In short I believe it is time to initiate a different tradition into the way I live my life. I believe it is time to initiate a tradition of prayer, which reflects courage, humility and faith. But for it to become a true tradition it will take effort and practice, for the old traditional ways of responding are far more developed. To truly become my traditional way of responding I must begin practicing now, what Jairus practiced with Jesus, a humble and earnest pleading with Jesus for the restoration of my life and the lives of others. I’m convinced that this is the very best thing I can do to see true and lasting change occur, but it is often the last thing I resort to in difficulty. So in this new tradition, I want to practice making prayer the first thing I do, rather than the last thing I do. Might you join me in this tradition? I’d love to have a few others gather around the table of Jesus with me to receive what He offers in our time of need in this life-giving tradition. May the Lord meet you with the hope that He hears and accompanies you into the dark and difficult places of life. Here is a song to help remind you of the need to come to Jesus as your first tradition.