Loyal to the King

Loyalty seems a rare quality in the political and cultural climate of these United States of America.  Think about it.  We see it abbreviated, “U.S.” or “USA” or “America,” but rarely is it stated in full these days.  Perhaps that is because the “United” part hasn’t been true for awhile now.  With the division and dissension growing by the hour, it begs the question if we’ll ever be “united” again.

I’m not much into the feminist movement, but an article this morning caught my eye because even in that “movement” or “agenda” there is dissension in the ranks caused by an article written by Mayim Bailik.  Amy Farah Fowler is one of my favorite characters from “Big Bang” played by Bailik. But she opened herself up to a backlash of rage with her op-ed piece for the New York Times about the Harvey Weinstein scandal. [click here to read it.]  Feminists immediately were divided on the support or condemnation of Mayim’s statements.

The NFL protests continue… see Terry Smiley’s protest against the protest here…

ObamaCare and Tax Revision efforts continue… we could go on and on right?

We are anything but a United States of America.

Yet while we have this freedom, I will in my own way be loyal to the King.

This blog gives me a soapbox or a platform from which to speaks out, so here it comes.

I’m using this image weekly (at least once a week) until Christmas because:

• I can
• I believe it can help us refocus on what is important about expectations
• Christmas in itself is a message of hope based in Christ alone
• I want to be an alternative voice to the commercialization of the event

Christmas as an event has divided this nation.  Some rise up and want to change the whole meaning of the season by eliminating the very word from their advertising campaigns by using “Happy Holidays” instead of Merry Christmas.  In 2015 these 8 “Unique Alternatives to Christmas” were suggested by Michelle Nait’s article (here):
Yule, HumanLight; The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster; Krismas; Kwanzaa; Newtonmas; Festivus; and Saturnalia.  Trust me, I just don’t understand where people come up with this stuff.

Wait, yes I do.

In Luke chapter 12, the gospel writer says (vs.1)  that “… so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another…” and that day Jesus talked about the fact that God knows and cares about our circumstances.  He talked about the dangers of covetousness (a primary Christmas pastime), and how we should always be ready for the return of the Master (foretelling His own future return).

AND then He said something which many have never read or studied before…

Luke 12:49-53
“I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled!  But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!  Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three.  They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

This doesn’t sound like a picture of the baby Jesus in the manger to me, does it to you?

Christmas is divisive … because He came.

Christmas might also be the single most important opportunity you will have this year to be LOYAL to the King.

You have 70 more days to be ready…

Loyal