Remember the essence of Christmas

Ah, it's the holiday season again. I, like I'm sure many others, enjoy the Christmas holiday and have fond memories of Christmases past, some in fact, that go way back to my childhood. The aspects of the Christmas tradition I enjoy are the colored lights, the peaceful love-oriented songs, and the exchanging of gifts given as tokens of devotion and appreciation.

I have numerous times through the years gone Christmas caroling, offering in Christ's name good cheer, hope, and concern. Oh boy, I like the food, too! Mom always made candies and special treats, and since I've grown and married, my dear wife has done no less. Another wonderful aspect of the Christmas season is the getting together of the extended family. Whether it is my wife's family or my own, or a combination of the two, I do enjoy seeing the relatives.

Of a certainty there are elements of great joy in this most special holiday (holy day); but I find myself burdened with abiding sorrow that America does less and less know the Christ of Christmas. Yes, many still do; but doubtless, the celebration of Christmas for many is not a celebration of the birth of Christ, as the very word should denote. The word Christmas is derived from the words Christ's mass. But really, America, how many of us truly worship Jesus? It would appear that our worship is not of Jesus but an idolatrous celebration of the very traditions themselves and associated fantasies, such as Ol' Saint Nick and his team of reindeer.

America, listen to me. You steadily walk away from the very source of your greatness. What greatness you've known and may yet experience has only been by your obedience to the law of the Almighty God, accessed through Jesus Christ the Lord. You have been honored in the past because you honored Him, but now you set your affections increasingly on perversions: pornography, adultery, abortion, living together outside of the marriage covenant. You coddle the guilty at the expense of justice. You oppress the producing element with high and graduated taxes, more commonly called socialism. Other perversions are your modern traditions of evolution, humanism, and feminism. You trade the reality of your most sacred and honored days for fantasies.

Should not a wise people guard the truth represented by the celebration of these days? You trade Christ's birth and reality, Christmas, for Santa Claus and his pet reindeer. You trade Christ's death and resurrection, Easter, for Peter Cottontail and colored eggs. All Saints' Day you neglect in order to celebrate the kingdom of darkness on Halloween night.

On Thanksgiving, how many of you stuff yourselves "to the gills" yet never stop to humbly bend your knees and give thanks to Him who graciously bestows all good things?

Your New Year's Day celebration for so many is clearly not a day to reflect over the previous year and give thanks, nor to humbly consecrate the year you are entering to the purposes of the Almighty Sovereign. You've turned it into a day of drunkenness and idolatry where you cheer your favorite ball team yet never even consider Him who gives you breath and life.

The celebration of your Independence Day: is that a day of both private and public recognition of the Almighty who birthed you as a people, or do you think you birthed yourself? The greatness you have known, was it by your own great intellect, creativity, and energy? Are these not given as gifts from the Almighty One?

Woe to you, America. You have forsaken the God who birthed you as a people. You have replaced the worship of Him for your perversions, traditions, and fantasies. Do you wonder why you are increasingly afflicted with crime, drugs, drunkenness, and divorce? Do you wonder why you are increasingly led by fools and by women? Why you have more bills than money to pay them? Why so many of you are mentally, emotionally, and physically sick? I'll tell you why, and he who has ears to hear, let him hear. It is because you do not abide in the Lord, and His word does not abide in you.

Jesus, the Christ of Christmas, is jealous. He calls for us to repent and walk in His light. As our fathers served and worshipped Him let us the more, that we might be again an honored and blessed people.

Greg DeHart, a Watchman, is a Mat-Su resident.