Christ in Christmas

Last year it was a crusade for many. "Save Christmas!" was the outcry of Christmas-lovers everywhere. The fact that Walmart told their employees not to say "Christmas" or that their toy section was labeled "Holiday Toy Shoppe" was annoying to us. Then to top it off some stores called their Christmas Trees "Family Trees" or "Holiday Trees". This year my work couldn't even say "Holiday". We're having an "End of the Year Luncheon".

I realized something this year. The first "Happy Holidays" I heard started ignite that fire inside me again this year. Then I stopped and thought... Christmas IS a holiday. It isn't the only one on our calendar. Hanukkah and New Year's Day are all around the same time. Thanksgiving wasn't too long ago. Why can't people say Holidays?

Some people may do it to remove Christ from this time of year; others may be trying to be PC. Either way, no one can take Christmas away. Are the sales associates forced to say "Happy Holidays" at your favorite store? You're not. You have the freedom to respond in whatever way you want. No one can take Christmas away from you.

No one can remove Christ from Christmas. This whole movement of taking Christ out of Christmas isn't new to the last few years. You have to go pretty far back - over 2,000 years ago - to find the first instance of someone trying hijack Christmas.

There were whispers in Jerusalem of a coming King. The whispers grew into murmurs and murmurs into discussions. It all started with some wise men asking, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him" (Matt. 2:2).

King Herod is scared. Visions of his legacy and his greatness are quickly diminishing under the talks of this "king". Herod pulls the wise men aside and says, "Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also" (Matt. 2:8).

Yeah right. That's what he wanted to do. "Worship" him. This child was threatening his crown. He wanted to kill him. The wise men weren't stupid. They knew that something was up too. God told them in a dream to ignore Herod and go another way.

God protected His son by telling Joseph in a dream to "take the young child...to Egypt" until Herod's passing. Herod found out that he was punked by the wise men so he killed alot of innocent children. Score. Way to go on that legacy thing Herod. What a horrible thing for him to do, but the world's power will make men to horrible things to showcase their power.

Someone tried to remove Christ from Christmas that long ago and failed. They tried again 30 some years later. They may have broke his body, but they did not kill Him. Christ still lives and the world can never take Him away; no matter what they try. Stronger and more powerful men have tried, but all have failed.

For as long as Christ lives, so lives Christmas...and Christ will live forevermore!

Merry Christmas!