Every year at Christmas time I see so much increasing negativity about this holiday season; especially amongst religious people. They get out their research tools and begin to post all the history about the so-called “pagan” beginnings of Christmas and why Christmas is not Jesus’ birthday and how it is a tradition of men and why we as Christians shouldn’t partake of it.
Years ago, when the idea was first introduced to me that as a true Christian I should not celebrate Christmas because God never “ordained” it in the word of God as a holiday, I was troubled about it in my mind. I thought for a long time about it. I prayed over it. I looked around and I saw all the negative aspects that were obvious. Santa Clause was a pagan conceived idea that was a lie told to children every year. People were running around spending money they didn’t have to heap up more toys that their children didn’t need, while other children in the world were starving. Historically Christmas was obviously not a christian holiday but had evolved into one. So really, should we as Christians be celebrating this holiday?
I thought of my little children. They were so excited about Christmas ~the most wonderful time of the year. How would I break the news to them that we would no longer partake of such a wonderful holiday celebration? I already never did teach them that there was a Santa Clause. We celebrated Christmas as a celebration of the birth of Christ.
I made this an earnest matter of prayer to get the mind of God crystal clear; At this time, this is the scriptures he brought me. It is from the book of Esther, at the very end of the story, when the Jews had experienced a great victory over their enemies who had tried to destroy them; They were rejoicing over their victory and here is what they did.
“This happened on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy. The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth, and then on the fifteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy. That is why rural Jews—those living in villages—observe the fourteenth of the month of Adar as a day of joy and feasting, a day for giving presents to each other.” Esther 9:15-19
The Jews made a holiday of feasting and giving each other presents to celebrate the victory they had won that day. God had not told them to make this holiday. But they observed it year after year.
“But,” some argue, “we do not even know when Jesus was really born? And God did not tell us to celebrate his birthday.” Well, God did not tell you to celebrate your birthday either, yet most of you do and who cares if we know the exact day he was born or not. Many people throughout have never known their real day of birth but have designated a day to celebrate every year anyhow. It does no harm.
This year God has shown me even more. God has spoken to me in regards to the “pagan” beginnings of Christmas and said, “Every seed is sown in mud.” He also brought to mind the story of Joseph and how his brothers sold him into Egypt out of hatred and jealousy, but in the end of it all, Joseph said, “What you meant for evil, God used for good.”
Many go to great lengths to point out of all the “bad” that comes with Christmas, but what about all the good that comes as well? In this world, in every home, in every neighborhood, distict, town, business, state, culture, religion etc… there is good and there is bad. God has placed us in a world of good and evil and we have a CHOICE ~ to choose the good. To say that Christmas is the cause of all kinds of evil, goes hand in hand with the argument that guns are the cause of crime. It makes no sense. Its not the celebration, but the heart of those who practice it that matters.
I have sung for years at the homes for the elderly and brought the message of Christ to them. I have seen them cry and rejoice and light up as we sing to them the familiar Christmas carols. I see shoe boxes for children being put together in abundance with love and sent all over the world to brighten up little children’s lives. I hear laughter and music and families that come together that may never otherwise see each other, but make that time, because its Christmas. This is just a tiny fraction of what goes on for good in the name of CHRISTmas!
Some will practice with greed and malice and the absence of Christ; But others will lift up the babe, and once again, the beautiful story of the virgin birth will fill the land.
I for one could not even imagine ending the year without the beautiful renewing spirit of Christmas. The spirit of giving, and forgiveness and the good news that a SAVIOR was born into the world. What a dry, empty, end of the year it would be without Christmas~ that one time of year that we hear the carols of ANGELS once again.
Yes, there are a lot of not-so-good things that come with the season as well, but let me end my rejoicing with a quote from the apostle Paul when he was imprisoned for his faith and some were slanderously speaking of the gospel throughout the palace;
“What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretense, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.” Philippians 1:18
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR ~ GOD BLESS YOU!
Heavenly Places 