We Have Drifted

We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.

Hebrews 2:1

 

I am working as a TA in a public school and that gives me great insight into what parents teach their children at home. I am sad to report that the majority of the students are now being raised in Godless homes. Even those who profess to be Catholics or Christians, will also say, they don’t go to church or pray or even talk about God. Since August, only 3 students have shared with me their faith. This came about when I asked what they would do over the weekend. They would say, “Going to church.” Then I would ask what church and learn a bit more about them. Three students, since August.

 

Then this week in computer class the teacher asked the students to go to Pow Toons on Google Chrome and make a greeting card for the holidays. There is about 35 students in that class and I was sure I would see more evidence of faith during this activity. I was wrong. I saw less, far less than I hoped or imagined. This is what prompted today’s devotional.

 

We have drifted!

 

We have all drifted away and we have allowed the Birth of our Savior,  to become a generic holiday. From the start of the season, which is now called black Friday, to the end, Christmas Day, millions flood the stores and Internet scrambling for the best prices for gifts. I know parents who save all year and I know some who go into debt. I cringe when I think about all the adults this year who will post their new cars. I don’t begrudge anyone a gift. I am not Ebenezer Scrooge. I just think it is useless to insist that the world say “Merry Christmas” when we are just as guilty as they are for mishandling this celebration.

 

Christmas Day is the remembrance and the celebration of our Lord God, Jesus Christ’s Birth. He is the Son of God and Son of Man, made human so He could feel, know and experience what we do, and then be our Intercessor before His Father, who is now our Father. Jesus is the only way to the Father and He is the only Savior of this world and He is the only God. This is the truth we have heard and accepted. We His church know this truth and yet this truth has become commercialized and watered down and stands to represent any and everything.

 

The greeting cards the students are making say Merry Christmas, show Santa and Snowmen and candy canes and presents. When I ask the students what Christmas means to them they all answered the same, “Santa and presents.” I asked, “Do you celebrate the birth of Jesus”? Their response varied from “who”? to “no we don’t believe in Jesus”. If we polled our community we might find the same answers.

 

Think about this for a moment. Do the Jewish people allow Hanukkah to become a generic holiday? Do African-Americans allow anyone to water down Kwanzaa? Absolutely not. If we tried we would be accused of being anti-Semitic or racist.

 

So why do we allow the world to water down Christmas? I know Christians get a bad rap but too bad.  Jesus warned us! It is time for the Church to pay careful attention and to stop drifting further away from the truth just to be politically correct.

 

Christmas means Christ’s Mass. It is the Holy celebration of the only One who can save us from death and bring us to heaven. He came to this world to save this world. He suffered for our sins. He is the One whose birth we celebrate. He is God who became Man for us sinners. He was born of the Virgin Mary and He is Emmanuel, God with us. This is what Christmas is all about.

Wake up Church-We have drifted. It is time for us to take Christmas back! Stop falling into the commercial trap and refuse to allow this Celebration to become generic. Stop making merchants rich and start making people believers.