Tuesday, 18 December 2012

Christmas - 2012 Style



Christmas 2012

Despite this being the season of “good will to all men” and despite Jesus being the real “reason for the season”, I am sad.  Despite the fact that our church pre-school, here in the UK, filled almost 200 seats with their own Nativity play, and despite the majority of people celebrating Christmas, albeit without much acknowledgement of who, what, or why Jesus was and is. I am still sad. Despite arrangements with my family being in place for us to celebrate a good old fashioned family Christmas together, I am still sad. Despite all the calls to my wife’s family in America and all the love of family and friends at church, I am sad.

Despite Christmas being a time of great personal joy for me and my family, I am saddened to the point of weeping.

Why?

I am saddened to weeping by the greed and overindulgence I see all around me while so many of my brothers, sisters, and neighbours having much less or even going without. I am saddened to weeping by the meaningless drivel and rubbish being broadcast by the main stream media as “entertainment” – terrible old re-runs of 20, 30,even 40 year old programs and films; ghastly “comedy” programs that are not in the least bit amusing and cause my blood to run cold in righteous indignation that anything so base and often crude should even be allowed on television. But most of all, I am saddened to weeping by the debasing and devaluing of Christmas by the politically correct world – especially of my so called brothers and sisters in Christ who leave all semblance of faith behind for the entire period and join the world in celebrating ‘world-style’ Christmas. I am deeply saddened too by the politicking around Christmas and the apostasy displayed by so many so-called Christian nations and churches who pay lip service only to the reason for Christmas.

Am I so scrooge-like that I say “Bah Humbug” to Christmas? Far from it. I love Christmas – the true reason for Christmas – the carol singing and exchange of gifts – all the traditional stuff. BUT it has to be mixed with a good dose of the real reason – the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. For me, I have to celebrate as best I can in whatever circumstances I find myself over Christmas. I have to acknowledge Jesus and His arrival among us here on earth.

If the world wants to celebrate in its own way then so be it. I will sing carols and play with my grandchildren and their new toys on Christmas Day. Television will not be switched on as we will, as ever, make our own “wholesome family entertainment”, call up relatives and greet them, and eat probably far too much. We shall do so with a reasonably clear conscience as we will have given some away prior to the day to ensure that one or two others will enjoy it too.

Happy Christmas everyone. God Bless us all today and every day.

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