It's Epiphanytide. C'mon, how many out there actually know what that means, eh? Technically speaking, the "Christmas" season begins with four weeks of Advent, 12 days of Christmas and Epiphanytide - beginning on January 6th all the way through to February 2nd, Candlemas. The secular Groundhog Day, of course, is the unfortunate winner (even among Christians) claiming the day as the litmus test for more weeks of winter (or less)...
How are we demonstrating to the world that we're an alternative society? So often there is an antagonistic approach to how the Church must somehow be countercultural - I do comprehend the intention, no doubt, but I would suggest that an alternative society creates culture and offers an option to the rat race and the emptiness with which the "world" sadly handles "holidays" (Holy days) such as Christmas. You see for all the talk about countering the dominant cultural values, the Church in the U.S., for the most part, seems to go along with the flow and embraces the "Christmas-is-over-on-December 25th" attitude, too. In fact, you may know of Christians who will throw their Christmas trees out on the 26th of December. We embrace the culture and yet, we somehow seem to think that we can provide an alternative to the world's despair and emptiness.
It would be too easy to submit a blog entry during "Christmastime" and retell the story so many have grown to superficially hear, but not listen to attentively as what it was, is and will always be - The Good News - and as far as this writer is concerned - the beginning of the End Times. So instead, I wait until today - January 9th, to suggest that we are nowhere close to the end of the observation of Christ's birth. IN fact, January 7th, according to the Julian calendar, is the Orthodox (Eastern) Church's date for the Observation of the Nativity of the Lord. These are our brothers & sisters in the Christian faith. While we're "getting back to normal" with the hustle & bustle of "life after the holidays", the proclamation of Christ's birth is still a new song in the air.
I see such radical and amazing power in reclaiming all of Christmas - from Advent all the way to Candlemas. I can only imagine how "church" communities, by intentionally gathering, celebrating, observing and praising God for the unfathomable gift of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ, would shake the foundation (in the very least) or just absolutely undermine Babylon's "market" goals & mammon generating "cost-effective" strategies.
As a Prayer Room, I invite all to pray about this very issue. How can we - as individual & corporate witnesses of Christ's first coming and as "prophets" of His second coming - testify to the world that the celebration isn't over? How can we continue to live an "alternative lifestyle" where we do not simply get back to the grind, but rather celebrate that the chains of sin are forevermore broken and no longer hold any power over us? How?
I ask you to pray and find ways to keep Christmas all year round. Live out the message, but not just within you - proclaim it to the world through your churches, parachurch organizations and other fellowship gatherings. From Christmas Eve through Februrary 2nd, play the music of the season, gather and continue to pray, worship and celebrate the birth of the new born King - in the midst of worldly routine, continue to tell the world to prepare Him room! Keep the Christmas lights on, keep the trees & wreaths up, sing carols and make it clear - we follow Christ, not the market, we are of the Kingdom of God not the government of men and neither do we pay allegiance to this nation's extremely limited & hypocritical "toleration" of any open celebration of Jesus Christ's birth. I'm not saying to keep your kids from going to school or to not go into work, BUT you can surely ask the Holy Spirit to adjust your attitude, outlook and purpose so that you may be blessed with the privilege to see the world through God's worldview. To see this world supernaturally. To live in seasons and not in chronological enslavement.
"Glory to the Newborn King!"
Epiphanytide 2009
