This morning the news showed a billboard that the American Atheists have displayed. It shows Santa telling people, "Go ahead skip church! Just be good for goodness' sake. Happy Holidays!"
I find this rather funny because to have Santa on the billboard means an acknowledgement of Christmas, because Santa comes on Christmas. To acknowledge Christmas one must admit that God sent a baby as a gift for all of us.
They're website says, "We want people to know that going to church has absolutely nothing with being a good person. The things that are most important during the holiday season--spending time with loved ones, charity, and being merry--having nothing to do with religion."
True enough one doesn't need to go to church to be a good person. There are plenty of people out there. Good people who have never set foot in a church. The point of attending church though is to be with other believers and worship God. To a group who doesn't acknowledge God this would be hard to understand. A belief in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit just helps us to get through the hard times.
The news also shared about a group of teenagers who were in an accident last night, ironically they were on their way to church. Unfortunately, one of the teenagers lost his life and the two others are clinging to life. The father of the teen who died shared on Facebook about his devastation and how he will cling to his faith that one day they will be together again in the arms of Jesus.
That's what this season is really about faith, hope, and love. It's not about religion. Jesus wasn't born a Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran or Catholic. Jesus was born a Jew in a stable. He is the promised Messiah the one God told Isaiah, Micah, and Zechariah to tell about. He was born just as God said. He is God's gift of love.
He came to become the sacrificial lamb, so that we could enter heaven when we die. Then we can be in the arms of Jesus and be reunited with those who believed and accepted before us. That's what our hope is.
We celebrate Christmas because we have a faith, a belief in things not seen or have to be proven. So that's why we go to church to worship our God and celebrate all that He has done for us. Because we know we can never be good enough no matter how good we are. We understand there are good people in all walks of life just like there are bad people in all walks of life.
So this Christmas I will be in church not because of religion but because of faith. I will indeed be celebrating with loved ones, giving to charities, and well being Merry not because of an obligation but because I believe!
So Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.
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