The Novelty Detox for Lent: Letting Go of Novelty and Being Present in the EverydaySample

Day 3: Adopting Traditions and Symbols

When I visited the beautiful island of Santorini in Greece, I was constantly reminded of Christ. Most homes had crosses on their façades, gated houses displayed them prominently, and even cars and van dashboards bore crosses. Shops and signs also carried these symbols, serving as a continuous reminder of who Christ is.

Traditions and symbols ground us because they remind us of our roots and who we truly are. I think of the Last Supper and how Christ instructed us to break bread and drink wine in remembrance of Him. This command and tradition serve as an eternal reminder for God’s people to acknowledge the death, burial, and resurrection of our risen King. In the Kingdom of God, it is customary to have reminders of our King everywhere—or at least, it should be.

The Sabbath, which is less observed in Christian tradition today, was meant to remind us that God provides. It is a complete act of faith in His sovereign provision.

Daniel prayed three times a day to give thanks to God, despite the unrelenting pressure of secularism and idol worship during his time. David wrote Psalms throughout his life as a way of reminding himself of God’s eternal hand of victory over him. I wonder if he revisited or reflected on them at certain points of the year?

Psalms 120–134 are known as the Psalms of Ascent. These were traditionally sung during pilgrimages to Jerusalem, serving as a reminder for God’s people to focus their attention on worshipping the Lord.

These individuals had rituals, traditions, meals, and pilgrimages—not because they were perfect, but because they were imperfect people striving to honor a perfect and magnificent God. We can do the same—not for the sake of legalism, but to build healthy habits that help us center our focus on the Lord.

This practice allows us to go deeper in our relationship with God, rather than having shallow connections with everything around us, whether people or fleeting, novel activities.

Action:

I encourage you to find some traditions or teachings of Christ that you can adopt into your daily life. Write them down. If you need guidance, feel free to look at mine below:

My Traditions

- Every morning: I listen to some scripture and pray.

- Three times a day: Like Daniel, I take 5 minutes to pray.

- Every Sunday: I do no work. I spend this time away from my phone, using the day to recharge and reflect. Since my phone is both a weakness and a source of novelty, this helps me maintain a healthy relationship with it. The only thing I use my phone for is scheduling posts for 1 hour between 6-7 pm.

- Every week: I write in my journal on Sunday night.

- Every Wednesday morning: I dedicate the first half of the day to connecting with the Lord. This helps me regain strength as I grow weary before the end of the week.

- Every fortnight: I arrange to meet with a family member/ or someone from my ministry, with the intention of knowing how to pray for them.

- Once a month: I visit a new art gallery with a friend, colleague, or group. I bring a notebook and pen instead of my phone. This helps me to appreciate the outdoors and creation.

- Every Monday: I share a scripture in the family group chat.