Ho, Ho, Ho, Merry CHRIST-mas!!!

What is Christmas to you and do you celebrate it? I am not celebrating it in the traditional "secular" way. We both know that Christmas is about acknowledging the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus. 

How can I, as a Christian, not recognize the day? December 25th may not be the actual date of His birth, but it is the only nationally recognized day set aside for that purpose. How we choose to recognize the day is what makes us different from the rest of the world. 

Recall in Job 3, Job's children all celebrated their birthdays. The Bible says that Jobs seven sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them (Job 1:4). 

I believe that the reason that Job prayed for them is because he either suspected or knew that they were not honoring God in their celebrations. 

I am convinced that the dissatisfaction is in what they did during the celebrations and NOT the celebrations themselves. Remember, we are to do all things as if for the Lord - not for ourselves.

The original celebration of "Christ-mas" was a day set apart due to the actions of those that came to worship the baby Jesus. The emphasis being on the "worship" which in most churches today is actually a celebration. 

Traditionally from day one, worship was also coupled with gift giving. The big problem today is that people have forgotten or have never known the true meaning of it and have turned it into the thing that we detest! 

I believe that we as Christians adopted the December 25th date as a way to combat the pagan winter solstice celebration. Yet, we have now become like them and now glorify Santa Clause or St. Nicholas. 

Did you know that St. Nicholas is an actual saint? See even that man was associated with Christianity.


Anyway, what I wanted to say was the the traditions need to be sorted out properly. I choose to not put up a tree but have no problems hanging lights and exchanging gifts. 

I believe the lights represent the stars in the heavens on the night of the celebration of Jesus' birth and the gifts tokens of worship to God, honor and respect to the King, and the suffering of the Messiah. 

The gifts as described in the Bible are Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. 

Gold was the usual offering presented to kings by their subjects, or those wanting to pay respect. 

Frankincense is highly fragrant when burned, and was, therefore, used in worship. 

Myrrh was used chiefly in embalming the dead, because it had the property of preserving them from putrefaction. (John 19:39). Myrrh then is brought as a gift to acknowledge the human suffering that Jesus partook of when He came into our world.

So while the world celebrates the season with gifts and jovial activity and good cheer, we as Christian are to be of good faith, joy, and hope. 

We can and should celebrate the birth of our our King, our Lord Jesus, and our Messiah on His day. To do any less would seem to take away from our fidelity in Him.