A couple of weeks ago, Wendy and I had the opportunity to attend the Virginia Commonwealth Prayer Breakfast. It’s held in Richmond each year and is hosted by the governor on the opening day of the House of Delegates. 1,000 people were to attend. Congressman Frank Wolf was the scheduled speaker. Our invitation came through my father, who was given several tickets by their state delegate – David Ramadan.
After a 3 hours drive we arrived early and went straight to the registration table. They asked for my name and I said, “Whitlow.” She looked on the list and said, “Sorry, your name is not on the list.” We started to sweat.
We then remembered that it was the delegate who made the tickets available. I came back to the table and said, “We are with Delegate David Ramadan.” She looked at the list and said, “Enter right this way. Enjoy.” We were given access to breakfast not in our own name, but in the name of Delegate Ramadan. We were relieved.
Notice Jesus words in John 16:23-24, “…Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”
Jesus tells us that we should pray to the Father in his name. The truth is our sins separate us from communion with a holy God. Our good works are not long enough to create a direct line to God. You and I have to have an operator to connect us. The only operator who can do that is Jesus Christ. When we pray in Jesus’ name we are expressing humble dependence on him alone. With so much on the line don’t just pray any old way. Pray with confidence in Jesus’ name.
Winter Holiday or Christmas
Though it was cute, it left me cold. I know the majority of American celebrate not a winter holiday, but Christmas. We sing not about the bear in the cave, or the carrot stuck in the snowman’s head, but of the manger, Bethlehem, the holy night, and the new born babe. Certainly, we don’t all worship Jesus as the Son of God, but the majority of Americans acknowledge that December 25th is fundamentally about him.
As I sat and watched the next generation celebrate winter, snow, and fun, this thought hit me. We, the people, pay the taxes funding our public school system. Our money pays for the lights, the salaries, the transportation, the activities. How is it we have no say in what the December celebration should be called? If we’re paying for it, shouldn’t we have a chance to decide?
This is the party line. There are a few in the school who don’t celebrate Christmas and in deference to them none will have the chance lest the few be offended. Should a handful, 5, 10, 25 hold back hundreds from calling this time of the year Christmas as they do everywhere else outside school grounds? We have let a vocal minority set the trend for all of us. This should not be.
The real issue is that Christmas has the word “Christ” in it, and saying that name would be to endorse a religion. Really? Saying “Christmas” is going to indoctrinate? I don’t think so. Christmas is a tradition that’s been woven into the fabric of our people from its very foundation. To remove it is un-American and undemocratic. We are democracy and that means the majority rule. I guess that doesn’t apply in the school systems we pay for.
This is political correctness at its worst. In the name of tolerance, the few in charge become the most intolerant of all.
If someone out there knows how to go about getting this changed please let me know your thoughts.