Thought for Today

Leviticus 23:2 Speak to the people of Israel and say to them: These are the appointed festivals of the LORD that you shall proclaim as holy convocations, my appointed festivals.  

Isaiah 1:14 Your new moons and your appointed festivals my soul hates; they have become a burden to me, I am weary of bearing them.   

Colossians 2:16 Therefore do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or sabbaths.

“December 10, 2025 - Today is Dewey Decimal System Day, International Animal Rights Day, National Lager Day, and Human Rights Day.” (nationaltoday.com)

Who knew? Right now, most of us are focused on Christmas Eve and Christmas. How can we possibly be ignoring Dewey Decimal Day, much less Nation Lager Day? This morning, Greta made a telephone call to check on something loosely related to health care. She got a recorded message saying the office was closed due to the holiday. Thank goodness someone is paying attention! Although since they were not specific on which holiday, maybe we should be concerned. Does healthcare have some correlation to how the books are stacked on the shelves of the library? I do occasionally drink beer, but even I am not going to allege drinking lager has any beneficial value for my healthcare.

I do find it interesting that the word holiday does not appear often in the Bible. When I searched, I only found it in 4 verses in the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), all in the book of Esther. I know that the holiday mentioned in Esther is the origin of the Jewish holiday of Purim. I cannot imagine that the recorded message Greta heard was due to a company closing because of Purim.

“As we launch into a new year, some clarification might be in order: National Lima Bean Respect Day (April 20) is not actually a national holiday. Neither is National Talk In An Elevator Day (July 28), or even the much-beloved National Taco Day (Oct. 4). What these so-called "National Days" are, really, are largely the invention of Marlo Anderson, of Mandan, North Dakota. "I've always had a love of celebration," he explained. "And I was digging around about where National Popcorn Day (Jan. 19) came from, and couldn't find any real information." (www.cbsnews.com) There is even a “National Nothing Day on January 16.” (Bing Search)

I am not a grinch. I am not anti-holiday. As a Texan, I can even appreciate National Taco Day. I do draw the line at National Talk in An Elevator Day. There is no day on which I want to talk in an elevator, vastly preferring to ascend or descend in silence.

Are we overly compulsive about national holidays and/or commemorative days? Maybe so! But, there are events and occasions that do rightfully call for national holidays and days of commemoration. July 4th, December 7th and September 11th immediately come to my mind as days for citizens of the U.S.A. to set aside as special days, as national holidays.

As a Christian, there are obvious days I set aside as special. Christmas Day and Easter are the most important for me personally. I also make special notice of Pentecost and Reformation Day. There are other days which for me have special meaning, even if they are not national days of remembrance, my anniversary, the anniversary of my ordination, the birthdays of my children and grandchildren. All of these are days of special note in my life, days occasioning extra prayers of thanksgiving.

In my roll of days of remembrance and commemoration, Christmas Day takes the top spot. During our Christmas Eve worship service we will hear the familiar scriptures of prophecy, the birth narratives themselves, and we will sing familiar carols and hymns. For me, these are all integral parts of my celebration. On Christmas Day itself, however, my mind will focus more on John 3:16-17, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.  Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

That day we celebrate God’s love. The word we translate ‘world,’ is the Greek κόσμον (cosmos), and it refers to everything which is. God loved and God loves God’s Creation. That is truly something to remember and celebrate.

Stay safe, celebrate appropriately, trust God,

Pastor Ray