TheJoyfulEye

 A POEM ABOUT CHRISTMAS

by Joyce Alice

"Put Christ back in Christmas!"  That's what I hear

Many people saying at this time of year.

"Jesus is the reason for the season", I've heard.

So why can't I find "Christmas" anywhere in God's Word?

Did Peter keep Christmas?  How about Paul?

I can't read in the Bible that they kept it at all!

And I've read every page but it just doesn't say

If Jesus was born in December --- or May!

Matthew tells of the wise men who came from afar

And found the young Child by the light of a star.

Of the angels from heaven who told of God's glory

To the shepherds that night, Luke tells us the story.

But neither one mentions the date, I'm afraid.

The date is not there.  The date is man-made.

"Does it matter?" some ask, "if the date is not true?"

"Just have joy in your heart!  Merry Christmas to you!"

For the joy set before Him the cross Christ endured.

When He went back to heaven He left us His Word.

Then for hundreds of years Christians got along fine;

They had joy in their hearts without Christmas-time.

They partook the Lord's Supper, rejoicing within,

That Jesus was born, lived, and died for their sin.

They just did what God said, no more and no less.

They had faith in God's Word and great thankfulness.

Meanwhile the pagans were having their fun,

They worshipped Mithra, the god of the sun.

The day of the solstice, the 25th of December,

They kept the sun's "birth-day", which few now remember.

Then softly and subtly and ever so slow

An idea sprouted and started to grow.

"Look over there what those pagans have got!"

"That's really neat!  That's really hot!"

"God's Word Alone just isn't enough!"

Some people said.  "We need other stuff!"

And that's how "Christ-Mass" all came to be.

I don't know about you, but it seems strange to me.

God's Word Alone is a powerful thing

So faith, pure and simple, I'll give to my King.

So thanks just the same, but I'll just do like Paul,

And have joy in my Lord without Christmas at all.