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Dr Nick Ohizu The Voice of God
1. The reason for the season
Christmas is a combination of two words, Christ and Mass.
This is of Roman origin signifying the church service held in celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.
December 25 is not the original birthdate of Jesus because during the time of his birth, the world was not using the Gregorian calendar that starts from January to December but the ecclesiastical calendar or what we call the Jewish calendar that starts from April to March.
Having said that, it is important that we understand the reason for the festive season we call Christmas.
It is a Christian holiday where we celebrate the birth of our saviour Jesus Christ.
It is meant to be a season of joy and celebration where we all unite first in the church to hold the worship celebration commemorating the birth of our saviour.
Based on that, it is ungodly to close the church on Christmas day.
However, a lot has changed down the years and a lot of people are missing the point.
Some people have gone further to remove the Christ from the Mass and replaced it with X and now instead of Christmas, we have Xmas.
Others have removed the Christ and the mass and replaced it with holidays. Instead of saying happy Christmas or Merry Christmas, they are saying happy Holidays.
This has culminated to having a Christmas season that is filled with some ungodly levels of merriment that has turned this holy celebration period into a season of drunkenness and debauchery amounting to a high level of road carnages claiming the highest levels of casualties.
Henceforth, a season that was meant to bring joy and happiness has turned out to be a season of pain for some people.
No attempt to erase the reason behind the season will prevail unless we as Christians allow it.
It is the responsibility of every professing Christian to endeavour to restore the dignity and sanctity of Christianity to this irreplaceable season of our Faith.
The Purpose of Christmas
Celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ comes at the end of every year.
The purpose of this celebration is to round up our year attending the Christ mass thereby creating an avenue where Christ is born again in our individual lives.
It creates the opportunity for every member of the family to go home and gather at the table of family reunion.
There, we share our reasons for thanksgiving and thence introduce our children to the knowledge of Christ using that opportunity to indoctrinate them into the reason for the season.
This celebration creates an opportunity for us to draw closer to God and one another thereby celebrating the gift of a holy family joined together by our common faith in Christ.
Christmas is not supposed to be a season of sin and immoral pleasure, but a season of sober reflection on the goodness of God in giving us the opportunity to see the end of another year.
In that moment of sober reflection, we decide to continue to live a life that is well pleasing to God.
Having understood these principles, it is then important that we plan a Christmas that will celebrate Christ not ungodliness.
This will entail plans of Christlike festivities.
We must enjoy ourselves but within the confines of true Christian values.
Keep ourselves sober and never be a source of someone’s pain or misery by driving carefully and avoiding all forms of violence.
Go to places that will not expose you to danger and sin.
Do not allow any part of the celebration of Christ’s birthday to separate you from Christ.
Make plan to celebrate within your financial capacity not putting yourself under any kind of pressure to impress people whose opinions are irrelevant in your life.
Remember that this is a seven-day window that will repeat itself after twelve months.
Whatever you fail to do this year will be availed again to be fulfilled next year.
There is no need to borrow to spend, cut your coat below your size and enjoy in peace because seven days from Christmas will be a new year and every bill will be due.
Go to church and celebrate the goodness of God in your life, giving God glory for the opportunity to see the end of another year.
With that been said, I wish you a merry Christmas and a prosperous new year.
Dr Nick Ohizu is the senior pastor of the Empowerment Ministries and the president of the Empowerment School of Wealth both located in Graniteside Harare.
He is a successful entrepreneur with vast experience in leadership, mentorship, business and marriage consultancy with a mandate from God to change lives and bless people. Feedback: 0772304917.
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