FAITH: Who supplies the true meaning for the ‘holiday’ season?

Recently I received an e-mail from an old friend lamenting the “secularization” of Christmas and that in some places wishing someone “happy holidays” is considered more acceptable than “merry Christmas.”

It is tempting to look for someone to blame for this trend of taking Christ out of Christmas. But for followers of Christ, it may be wise to examine ourselves first.

I have to admit that over the years I’ve done my share of “secularizing” Christmas.

Since trusting Christ in the early 1970s, I have celebrated more than 30 years worth of traditional Christmases. They were just like the Christmases I celebrated before I trusted Christ.

We decorated Christmas trees, had large family gatherings, lots of great food and more presents than we really needed. They were great times of being together with loved ones and cherished memories.

It is just hard to find any of that in the Biblical account of the the birth of Jesus.

I suspect that the majority of Christians in the world celebrate Christmas without benefit of any of those things. So what is it that should make Christmas meaningful for believers?

I know you are thinking about the account of Jesus’ birth, but I would suggest that that is not enough. Not enough in a world where “happy holidays” is more relevant to daily living than “merry Christmas.”

While we may cherish the story of Jesus’ birth in a cattle shed in Bethlehem, the world sees babies being born to poor homeless parents in the midst of dire circumstances every day.

Isaiah 7:14 says: “Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Emmanuel.”

Why did Mary call him Jesus if Isaiah said he would be called Emmanuel?  

The meaning of Emmanuel is “God with us.”  Emmanuel is not used for a name as we are accustomed to, but rather a statement of Jesus’ essence.

The God of the universe, who breathed out the this vast cosmos and even life itself, became a man. He set aside his glory, wrapped himself in human flesh and became one of us.  

It is the one truth that can actually give meaning to Christmas — or your holiday, if you prefer.  

Fred Martin is youth pastor at Ottawa Bible Church.