Holidays

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Well, the holidays are finally over—or are they? Don’t worry, I’m not going to ask you to crank up the oven, hit the malls, and get out the decorations again. I’m only going to ask you to consider the holidays.

Sometimes we get a little extra tingle or joy or excitement or some indescribable feeling of awe or something during holidays, especially the religious ones like Resurrection Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. There’s just something special about setting aside a day to celebrate Christ’s birth, resurrection, and goodness to us. But, do we need special days to celebrate these things?

The word “holiday” is from a barely pronounceable Old English word for “holy day.” It is a special day set aside for religious purposes. Interestingly, we apply the term to any “official” day, whether sanctioned by the church or the government, even if there is no religious meaning, like July Fourth and Labor Day. The British use of “holiday” indicates “vacation.” Should we, as Christians, have some days that are “holier” than others? Should we live any differently on certain days than on regular days? Should we take a vacation from worship?

Paul tells us in Romans 14:5, 6: “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord.” In other words, God is not so much concerned with holidays as He is with the attitude of the heart. Colossians 2:16 reminds us that God is not concerned with whether or not you celebrate Christmas, birthdays, or other recognized holidays, as long as your motive is to glorify Him. You can’t be intimidated by, nor are you to intimidate or look down upon, those who teach and practice differently. It’s not the day, it’s the attitude that God honors. One day is no more holy than another.

Jesus Christ is the same every day (Hebrews 13:8). His blessings are the same every day (Psalm 68:19). God’s faithfulness is manifest every day (Lamentations 3:22, 23). We are to minister to one another daily (Hebrews 3:13). Other examples abound: Daniel prayed three times a day; the Psalmist sang His praises daily; and on and on it goes.

For the church age, the Scriptures do not prescribe any day as being special or holier than any other day. True, the Lord’s Day, Sunday, is set aside as a day to gather together to worship and minister as a body. But this is no more special, nor should we live any differently, than any other day. God has called us to be holy as He is holy, and he doesn’t expect any more or any less of His children based on the calendar.

So, enjoy the sights and sounds of your favorite holiday(s). Come to church on Sunday and Wednesday and whatever other days the church gathers. But don’t fall into the trap of acting more “holy” or serving the Lord on just those days and under those ideal circumstances. Celebrate the Lord’s goodness, share His blessings, and thank Him in everything at every time.

Have a nice “holy day,” no matter what day it is! Then, you’ll never suffer from Post Holiday Stress Syndrome!

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