“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas everywhere I go….”, the television ads, the malls packed with shoppers, Christmas lights everywhere, fir trees tied on top of cars, etc. Yes, it’s that time of the year again. When little kids are making wishes or making clear hints about what they want on that special day.
For some, it is time to make the usual arguments about how this is a pagan holiday and has nothing to do with the birth of the Messiah. While there is ample evidence to support this concept, December 25th has become a special day for people of all nationalities, even those who are not Christians yet. Growing up in Kenya, I saw Muslims, Hindus and people who worshiped ancestors celebrating Christmas. It was and still is a hard day to ignore. Every year at this time the world is reminded yet again,
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this (Is 9:6-7).”
To quote Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke, “The Christmas Day-date does not matter, or the Gospels would have told us. The heathens made some days very special for their heroes, festivals and gods. But the coming of Christ has obliterated all such glory and remembrance. Every day is His. If any day has been marked for any other, He hallows it, even the most notorious. The name of Jesus has overcome all such calendar pollutions.”
Back in Africa, during the period of my mother’s birth, not every childbirth was documented. Therefore, a lot of seniors do not know the exact day of their birth. As a family, we decided to celebrate my mother by picking a day of her choosing as her birthday because she was obviously born on a certain day of the year. As a result of this, for the last twenty years we have enjoyed honoring her on her “birthday” and in doing so have created wonderful memories for the kids and grandchildren alike.
December 25th may not be the exact day that our savior was born, but the wonderful news still remains that on a certain holy night angels declared His birth and henceforth good news of great joy is available to all people! Let us on this day celebrate His coming anyway, for it is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Merry Christmas everyone and a Happy New Year!