A friend of mine, of indeterminate faith, recently said one of the best pamphlets he’d ever seen was from Jews for Jesus. It was simply titled : “Jews for Jesus : What??”
This comes from another of their pamphlets. And because it mentions my favourite non-holiday, I thought I’d share it.
What shall we do?
What shall we celebrate?
Hanukkah, Christmas, … Festivus ?
If I choose Christmas I can go with the flow. With Hanukkah I get more presents. And with Festivus…for Seinfeld fans…there’s an airing of grievances and feats of strength.
Religion and ritual. What do they have to do with reality?
Amidst the dreydls, the candles, the wreaths, the ribbons and whatever other traditions you may hold…there’s a feeling that there’s got to be something more.
Holiday traditions fill us with a nostalgic longing for a reality that many of us have never experienced. A hunger and thirst that can’t be satisfied with latkes or eggnog or anything we can see or taste or touch with our physical senses.
That’s because our souls really long to be right with the One who created us.
The best gift of the season can only come from God…and the dilemma is whether you are willing to receive it.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should be perish but have everlasting life.”
John 3:16
It’s not a matter of whose holiday or what culture to celebrate…but whether or not you open your heart to that Jewish baby that God sent so that people of all cultures and backgrounds could know God and experience His forgiveness and peace.
For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called : Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince Of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:6
December 21, 2009
This is a wonderful post.
We saw something like this a couple of years ago in Nashville and it is still continuing. In Nashville we have the largest attendance in the country for Sunday services. In the midst of it, the Jewish Rabi unleashed on the state government and city governments when they started trying to limit using "Merry Christmas" in schools, stores etc… It was also called Jews for Jesus. Must be a world wide campaign.
The beauty of it was that he simply wanted people to respect the holidays and that it was ok if you celebrated Christmas to say "Happy Hanukkah" and if you celebrated Hanukkah to say "Merry Christmas". What was not ok was to block those who do celebrate, from celebrating.
Merry Christmas David. Happy Hanukkah to your Jewish readers.
My recent post God’s Sense of Humor