Happy Holidays!

Wait! Before you begin to think that I have lost my mind and joined the ranks of our secular, post-modern culture, allow me to explain my title...

With all the recent talk and controversy about whether or not the words "Merry Christmas" should be replaced with the more sociably-acceptable "Happy Holidays," it is doubtless that most Christians (at least the ones who understand the aim of this proposal) have become quite upset at this clear attack against the Christian faith.

However, it is rather ironic that the secularist's very purpose (to rid the public square of anything religious) completely undermines itself in this case. Perhaps if they had paid more attention to what words actually mean, they would presently drop their argument and run away screaming like schoolgirls with their tails between their legs... [sorry, I couldn't resist ; ) ]. But seriously, the word "Holiday" is none other than the contraction of the words "holy" and "day." Betsy Childs, a writer for Ravi Zacharias International Ministries pointed out that, "Although Christmas in the West may have degenerated into a celebration of food, gifts, and time off work, secularists unwittingly keep reminding us that it should, above all, be observed as a holy day!" mmm... The irony is delicious...

Thanks to the secularists, I am reminded that Christmas is very much a "Holy Day." We celebrate the Holy One, appearing in the flesh as the babe in the manger. But we understand that he did not stay in the manger, for it was not his birth, but his death and resurrection that brought salvation to his people. It is Christ's holiness that showed the necessity for God's wrath, wrath that one day he bore so that a people, enslaved to sin and walking in darkness, would be set free and see the brilliance and splendor of His glorious majesty. And that is what we celebrate, a Holy God ransoming and rescuing sinners, to make for Himself a holy people who will all, one day, be gathered around the throne to praise Him for his Holiness.

His holiness gives us our hope, for unless we are clothed in his righteousness, we can not approach the Holy One of Israel. This hope is captured in the words of the beloved Christmas hymn:

O Holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt His worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine! O night when Christ was born!
O night divine! O night, O night divine!

Happy Holy Day,

Jonathan