Going Forth in the Name: December 2014

About Me

Location: Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States

My wife Sandi and I are full-time RVers, and Workampers, employed at Adventureland amusement park in Des Moines Iowa, where I have worked for the last 20 years, and am currently a manager in the rides department. I also am a facilitator for one of the weekly Bible studies held for the employees there. I also teach a Bible Study in our home at our winter location in Mesa, Arizona. In addition to writing this blog, I am the author of a book entitled "Going Forth in the Name, an RVer's Guide to Living the Christian Life." I am a retired Police Sergeant of 25 years experience. MY book called "Going Forth in the Name" It is about living the Christian life, and staying connected to the Body of Christ while traveling as a full-time RVer.

Monday, December 29, 2014

Charades

For me as a Christian, Christmas is a very special time of year. I have written in this blog in the past about this season, and about the opportunities that it affords us to witness our faith to the world (Putting Christ back in Christmas,1/11/07; Now that we have your attention, 12/21/07; Affirmation for advent,11/28/11; Advent Devotional, 12/9/11, and recently published in the CRM 2014 Christmas devotional book). Generally speaking, I love this time of year, and the meaning it has in my life.

I have noticed something peculiar this year however. Is it just me, or has the secular world at large come to the place where they go out of their way to avoid using the name of Christ, or anything about what He and His coming represent to the salvation of the world, and to the Christmas season?It was almost like that game of "Charades" and similar games, where you get to do or say anything except the word or phrase that you are getting the other players to try to guess

We hear a lot of talk about peace, giving, sharing, family, love, and any number of other good things that the world needs to focus on at this time of year. I am not a bit sorry that we are thinking of any of these good qualities. As good as these things are, they all fall short however, in capturing the real meaning of the season. I know that this is a somewhat subjective judgment on my part, but I felt for the first time this year that the secular world has truly succeeded in taking Christ out of Christmas!

For the most part, I had to go to church to hear anyone utter the name of Jesus Christ, or to allude to that fact that the season at hand had anything to do with Him.

Against this backdrop, I was pleased to get an e-mail Christmas greeting from Tim Schmidt of Concealed Carry magazine who had this to say:

"I want to do something politically incorrect . . .
It's my heartfelt belief that Jesus Christ coming to earth as a baby to eventually die on the cross for our sins is the ONLY reason for the Christmas holiday."

Amen Tim! Me too!

Thanks for sharing this moment with me today.

Happy New Year everyone!